DFA sattelite office at POEA

Good news for us Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), starting 15 April 2008, the Department of Foreign Affairs already have a full-service passport satellite office at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). The satellite office will provide passport services to OFWs.

All passport applications filed at the POEA office will be processed and released after at most seven working days for a fee of Php 750, or after 14 working days for a fee of Php 500.

Passport application requirements include personal appearance and submission of the completed application form, 3 colored passport photos with royal blue background, authenticated birth certificate and at least two government-issued identification cards and documents proving the applicant's identity and citizenship.

So fellow OFWs, the next time you are on vacation and plans to renew your passport, remember that you could avail of DFA satellite office passport services in POEA.

The passport application form and guidelines may be downloaded at DFA website.

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Review My Post

Have you signed up with PayPerPost ? If not, well here's your chance to earn some money through PayPerPost recently introduced program Review My Post program. Simply click on the link here or at the bottom of this post to signed up with PayPerPost. Once your blog has been approved by PPP, a new opportunity will be offered to you by PayPerPost to review my postings. Just write a new post about my blog posting and you could earned $7.50. That's very simple way of earning your first paid posting. Likewise, this is a great opportunity for you to grow your sphere of influence in the blogosphere.



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Sign Up with PayPal !

When you signup for PayPal, you can start receiving your blog earnings through PayPal or if you are a merchant, start accepting credit card payments instantly. As the world's number one online payment service, PayPal is the fastest way to open your doors to over 150 million member accounts worldwide.

Best of all, it's completely free to sign up !

To sign up or learn more, click here

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China Joins In protecting Environment

China, with over a billion population, joins the growing list of countries who are aiming to change shoppers habits in using plastics in a bid to protecting the environment. Ultra thin plastic bags (less than 0.025 mm thick) with effect on 1 June 2008 will be ban. The ban would surely have impact on shoppers in China, as usually this thin plastics are typically just used once and then discarded, adding to the waste harming our environment. Enforcing of the ban will definitely determine whether this exericse would be a success.

Lets us do our share in protecting our environment. Use less plastics and bring your own bags when shopping.



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Diving In Philippines

Diving is a very popular water sports activity and Philippines, my country, has several world class diving destinations. Philippines possesses a wide variety of major diving sites which made it famous and attractive to divers from the West. Divers, novice or experts from all over the world, especially underwater photographers have been enchanted with the magical underwater beauty of the Philippine seas.


With over 7,000 islands, the Philippines, known as the "Pearl of the Orient" have been famous not only for the beauty of its natural resources atop the seas but for the wonders that can be found underneath. It is also considered as one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. A great diversity of more than 800 species colorful corals, small to giant fishes, various-sized and textured shells, and other marine life that exist under its deep blue waters.

Some of the best diving sites in the Philippines are located in Palawan, Batangas, Mindoro, Cebu, Boracay and others. Diving in Philippines is possible all year round, with best times being from November to May. So next time you plan on your diving vacation, see the great wonders that can be found underneath the Philippine seas



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Need to get rid of body toxins ?

Nowadays a lot of products are being advertised to help in detoxifying our body. One of the products that I read from a website was about Kinoki. Kinoki is the all natural way to collect harmful toxins from your body while you sleep. Kinoki Foot Pads as claimed use all natural tree extracts and powerful ions that helps in ridding our body of harmful toxins by placing the foot pads on the sole of our feet before going to bed and in the early morning the pad could have collected toxins from our body. Kinoki foot pads sounds great for detoxifying our body but then a lot of people may have tried it already. Others would testify that Kinoki Detox products have positve effects while others would say no effect.

I would say that we should better watch our diet, refrain from smoking and keep a exercise regularly. If we lead a healthy lifestyle, then we get rid of toxins buildup. Regular exercise and healthy diet should keep our body fit. Do you need detox products ?


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Tips in caring for your watch

Watches are status symbols specially for some men. So how do you take care of your "expensive" watch ? Here's some tips for you :

a. Always store your watch in a dry and dust free place. A dry box/cabinet would be a good place to keep it.
b. Bring your watch (automatic or mechanical) to authorized center for serviced check up every 5 or 8 years.
c. Try to avoid using your mechanical watch when playing sports like golf or tennis as the extra force created when hitting the ball causes strong vibration or jolt which might damaga or create inaccuracy to the watch movement
d. Always use your watch regularly
e. For quartz watches, replace the battery every 2 years or as soon as it runs out of power.



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Travelling Tips

Before Leaving Home:
Tell the people around you when and where you're going to have a vacation. Just keep them informed about it so that they'll have an idea about when will they will expect you to be back.

Ask someone, maybe a friend, neighbor or relative, to pick up mails and newspapers for you.

Have your passport photocopied, if you are travelling overseas, and pack it in a different place than the original. It the passport is lost or stolen, the photocopy may serve as proof that you have a valid passport.

Make sure that all windows and doors are closed, and that all appliances are turned off and disconnected from the electric outlets.

Avoid too much baggage, bring only the necessary things that you need.

Always bring some medicines like anti colds and vitamins for your medication.

When travelling by a car be sure that it is working in prefect condition.

Be sure to put your name and your destination in your luggages. In case of lost the finder can return it immediately.

Put your personal and valuable belongings in a safe place.

It is also a good thing to have padlocks in your suitcase to avoid lost.

Take your time to prepare all the necessary things you need.

Dont forget to bring your camera or a video camera. Memories are never to be forgotten.

While Traveling :
Do not bring large amounts of money with you. As much as possible, bring only the minimum amount you need and the credit card(s) you use.

Distribute the cash you have in your pockets.

It is good to have travel books, brochures or leaflets while you travel. You can use them to know the cheapest hotels, restaurants and best food about your destination.

Be a part of a group tour in order to explore the different insights of your destination.



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Dinengdeng na Labong with SALUYOT (Bamboo Shoots with Jute)

Dinendeng na labong with Saluyot is a popular dish in Northern Luzon (Ilocano dish)

Ingredients:
4 to 5 cups water
4 tsp bagoong isda
1-2 stalks of Bamboo shoots (cut it from stalks into thin strips)
1 bundle of saluyot leaves
1 grilled or fried fish (bangus or milkfish), cut into 3 slices
2 medium size tomato (sliced into 4)

Procedure:
a. Boil bamboo shoots for 1 hour then drain water and set aside the bamboo shoot
b. Bring to boil 4 to 5 cups of water in a caserole
c. In a small bowl, put in fish anchovy (bagoong) sauce and add boiling water, stir.
d. Using a strainer, pour in mixture of water and anchovy sauce into the caserole, e. simmer for 3 - 5 minutes.
f. Add bamboo shoots and tomato. Simmer for 3 minutes.
g. Add saluyot and continue simmering until saluyot leaves are cook.
h. Add grilled or fried bangus and simmer for another 2 minutes.
i. Serve hot.


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Raising a Child With ADHD

Raising a Child With ADHD
Raising a child is a challenge in and of itself. Parenting a child with ADD or ADHD can present additional challenges. Read on to find helpful tips, guides and support from caregivers who have been where you are.

Tips for Raising Your Child's Self-Esteem Children with ADD or ADHD often have difficulty managing school responsibilities and social relationships, which can make them feel alone and isolated. Help them learn how to focus on their successes and bolster a positive self-image.

Helping Children with ADD get to Sleep Children with ADD/ADHD sometimes have a hard time falling asleep. They may toss and turn or they may just not be able to shut down their thoughts long enough for sleep to come. Eileen Bailey outlines some helpful hints to help your child get a good nights sleep.

Adult Children with ADD Living at Home As our children grow up they are taught how to do their wash, cooking, and cleaning, with the understanding that one day they will leave home. But sometimes they do not seem to be ready to leave. What happens when parents have their adult children still living at home? Eileen Bailey addresses this conundrum.

ADHD - The Positive Side The three major symptoms of ADHD: hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattention can create many problems in people’s lives. They can interfere with relationships, school and work. But there are also many positive characteristics of adult ADD/ADHD.

Games to Motivate your Children Eileen Bailey outlines the effectiveness of the reward system for children with ADHD. She describes that creating games and challenges for your child is essential in maintaining their interest and keeping their mind constantly on the move.

Creating a Discipline Process at Home The home is a place where children feel safe and secure. They feel accepted and loved. But children can also act out at home; they can fight with siblings, talk back or not listen to their parents and be defiant. Children with ADHD are more difficult to discipline than those without ADHD and need different disciplinary measures and methods to learn.

Strategies for Parenting Children with ADHD Children with ADHD are often hyperactive, impulsive and easily distracted. They can forget what they have been told (minutes later) or constantly lose items. Parents can help children learn to cope with these common symptoms of ADHD. The strategies here will help.

Parenting Strategies for Children with ADD (Without Hyperactivity) Children with ADD can be quiet, withdrawn and shy. They can suffer from low self-esteem, miss details, be forgetful and often misplace items. The following strategies for parents can help keep their children with ADD on track.

Activities to Keep Children Entertained Looking for ways to keep your children stimulated, focused and amused? Our ADHD Expert Eileen Bailey shares her tips for keeping children entertained throughout the year.

Coping Strategies for Siblings Children with ADHD require extra care and attention. Sharing a home with an ADHD child can cause siblings to experience feelings of frustration and inadequacy, but there are steps parents can take to ensure that each of their children feels equally loved and cared for.

Raising a Child with ADHD: Medication During the Summer Months Eileen Bailey describes the importance of early diagnosis and how to help young children cope with the trials, symptoms and medication options for ADHD, especially in the summer when keeping young children in check is hard enough!

SHARED BY: ms.angala



See also related posts :
Autism: A gift of hope, courage and inspiration
Autism - Checking for Symptons
Light at the end of the tunnel
Autism : Brief List of Where to Begin
Autism (part 2): Signs of Autism
Raising a Child with ADHD
Autism Resources for English speakers in Hong Kong

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The Wonders of Eating Saluyot (Jute)

The Wonders of Eating Saluyot
Did you know that the popular Ilocano vegetable, saluyot (jute leaves), originated in Egypt, and was the source of health and beauty of the Egyptian royalties including Cleopatra? You might as well decide to eat it too, if you want to look young, healthy, and beautiful.

Saluyot thrives almost anywhere, requires little care in cultivation, and can be grown year round. It is a green, leafy vegetable that is rich in: beta carotene for good eyesight, iron for healthy red blood cells, calcium for strong bones and teeth, and vitamin C for smooth, clear skin, strong immune cells, and fast wound healing.

Saluyot is one, if not the most nutritious vegetable in the Philippines. One half cup cooked saluyot leaves (45g) contains 20kcal, 1.3g protein, 0.3g fat, 3.1g carbohydrates, 0.4g fiber, 87.3mg calcium, 22.5mg phosphorus, 1.334μg β-carotene or 222μg Retinol Equivalent (vitamin A), 1.0 mg iron, 0.02 mg thiamin, 0.04mg riboflavin, 0.3mg niacin, and 10mg Ascorbic Acid or vitamin C. moreover, saluyot has an antioxidant activity of 77% or α-tocopherol equivalent (vitamin E) of 48.9. In other words, saluyot contains all the important nutrients needed by the body.

Free radicals are highly unstable by products created as our cells use oxygen. Because they are so unstable, they react easily with many chemicals inside the cells, and these reactions can cause tremendous damage to the delicate cellular mechanisms. When those mechanisms are damaged, the cell may malfunction or die. Biologists tell us that this cumulative cell damage is the cause of many of the common degenerative diseases: arthritis, hardening of the arteries, heart and kidney ailments.

Vitamin A, C and E present in saluyot sponge-up free radicals, scooping them up before they can commit cellular sabotage.

Saluyot can make you look younger. Due to the high antioxidant activity of saluyot, eating it reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines in the face and body. Thus, regular consumption of saluyot can make you appear young.

Saluyot can be prepared into dishes like dinengdeng of the Ilocano, bulanglang, or sauted with bamboo shoots or dried beans. It can be steamed and pureed, mixed with chicken, and prepared into soup like how the Japanese prepare it as molohiya.

Source: FNRI - DOST

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Saluyot (Jute)

Common Names/Local Names:
 
Jute Mallow or Jews Mallow; Jute (English)
Saluyot (Tagalog/ Ilocano); Tugabang (Bisaya)
 
Botanical Description
 
Jute is an erect, grabrous, annual plant or shrub, growing up to 2 meters high.  The leaves are ovate, laceolate, toothed margins.  Flowers are solitary with yellow petals on the axils.  The fruit is a capsule with many black seeds. 
 
Adaptability
 
Jute or Saluyot is cultivated over a wide range of environments.  The plants grow well under hot, wet in the lowland tropics. It is also responds especially to warm, humid weather and is often grown near riverbanks and waste places.  Cold weather and severe periods of drought can kill the crop.  A loam or silty-loam soil and plenty of organic matter is ideal.  It tolerates soil pH of 4.5 to 8.0, but more extreme pH conditions will reduce the availability of iron in the soil.
It is a short day plant, hence, short production suffers because of flowering during the months of November to February.
 
Uses/Importance
 
Jute mallow, jews mallow or jute is famous for its sturdy natural fiber but there are cultivars that are cultivated as a leafy vegetable. The leaves are used fresh or dried.  They can be stored after drying and used later on during periods of scarcity.  The leaves become mucilagious when cooked, a trait of this crop, which highly appreciated.

Nutrient Value
 
The leaves of saluyot are rich source of iron, protein, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate  as shown in Table 1.

Table 1.  Nutritional values of saluyot (Boiled/100 grams edible portion)
 

Nutrients	Boiled
Moisture (%)	80.4 84.1
Food energy (cal.)	43 - 58
Protein (g)	4.5 5.6
Fiber (g)	1.7 2.0
Total Carbohydrates (g)	7.6 12.4
Ash (g)	2.4
Calcium  (mg)	266 - 366
Phosphorus  (mg)	97 - 122
Iron  (mg)	11.6
Sodium (mg)	12
Potassium (mg)	444
Vit. A (I.U.)	6,390
Thiamine (mg)	15
Riboflavin (mg)	28
Niacin (mg)	1.5
Ascorbic acid (mg)	95

 
 
References
 
A.C. Sas. 1984. Plants and Health. p 10.
M.C. Palada and L.C. Chang, AVRDC International Cooperators Guide. May 2003, pub #03-552
PCARRD Technoguide 1985 pp 18-19.

Children's Toy Safety Tips

Here's some tips in providing safe toys to children:

Characteristics of a good toy:
1. Suitable to the child's physical capabilities, mental and social development;

2. Appealing and interesting to the child; and

3. Well constructed, durable and safe for the child's age.


Do's and Dont's in Toy Safety:

1. Check labels on the packaging and observe precautions appearing in the labels to ensure the safety of the child;

2. Ensure that the child will play with a toy suited for his age under adult supervision;

3. Dispose plastic packaging accordingly. Keep it out of reach of children;

4. For children under age three (3), do not buy the following toys:
• balls with a diameter of 1.75 inches or less so as to prevent choking;
• that easily breaks into small parts or pieces (glass or brittle plastics);
• containing small detachable parts or pieces which could become lodged in the throat;
• with sharp points and edges;
• with electrical parts, unless supervised by an adult;
• with parts that could pinch or entrap fingers, toes or hair;
• with parts put together by straight pins, sharp wires or nails that are exposed and easily detached.

Tips to Avoid Bad Breath

There are different kind of mouthwash and breath fresheners that are being sold in the market. In fact, there are different brands that we are not sure which particular product would really cure bad breath or will it just temporary eliminate bad breath.

Instead of spending a lot, here are simple tips to freshen up your breath:

Make it a habit to brush your teeth after each meal in order to avoid accumulation of food debris in our teeth that could serve as food for bacteria and can be cause for tooth decay.

In brushing, brush and clean your tongue as well. Use soft-bristled toothbrush and brush your tongue for at least 15 strokes. Ensure to clean the middle part and tongue's end as bacteria accumulates in this part.

If you are using dentures, clean it t thoroughly at least once a day or as advice by your dentist;

Drink water frequently in order to maintain mouth moisture. Drinking water would also removed bacteria in our tongue and mouth. Try to avoid drinking coffee, softdrinks, and smoking because it propagates more bacteria in our mouth and causes more bad breath.

Ensure to change toothbrush every 3 or 4 months and use soft bristles in order to avoid gum bleeding or hurting your gums.

Make it a habit to visit your dentist for check up every 6 months or every year to ensure healthy gums and teeth. Likewise, your dentist could determine whether we have symptoms that causes bad breath.

Trade Shows

Do you want to join trade shows for marketing your products or services ? When you are at a trade show, you seem to have your small office. You will have the chance to make new propective clients, meet new suppliers and most especially present your products and services to the general public. Several factors may affect your trade show experience and one of the most important factor is your trade show display.

Trade Show Displays normally contain your company’s name and logo in order for the general public to be attracted and to know who you are. Prospective clients will not likely to visit you if you do not have trade show booths with eye catching displays and banners as they may not know what products and services you offering. If you have trade show displays, your current clients will immediately recognize you and drop by and prospective clients will become more familiar with your company name and products.

One company that engages in trade show displays is ShopForExhibits. They specialize in handling everything from pop up floor standing Trade Show Booths, Burst Graphics System, 10 foot pop up displays, banner stands, booth design, literature racks, display cases, trade show displays, trade show booths, etc.

For more information about how you could set up your Trade Show Booths or Trade Show Exhibits, visit ShopForExhibits website.


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Diving In Belize

Got too much stress at work ? Why not planned a vacation and enjoy diving and snorkling in Belize ? Belize pronounced as b--li-z is a former British colony in Central America famously known as British Honduras until 1973 and later on became independent nation in 1981. But before you buy those airline tickets for your Belize diving vacation, You may need to plan for your trip first, like when is the best time to go and visit Belize ? What are the particular events that are expected during your time of visit ? What particular tourist sights are suggested to be seen ? How to get to a particular diving place and what mode of transportation to take ?

You see there are a lot of considerations to take in order to enjoy your perfect vacation and good planning can be the difference between a vacation that's so-so and a great diving vacation. Planning definitely starts at your home. But do not worry, there is a particular site the Belize Guide Info that could help you in planning your Belize diving trip. The site provides very good info about Belize from weather, planning your diving trip, hotels, activities to take, attractions to visit, food, getting around Belize, etc. So why not visit Belize Guide Info before your vacation.

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Lasik

I often wonder how technology are allowing physicians to not only restore vision in damaged eyes, but also to improve the way we see with healthy eyes. Technology really has greatly help in improving our quality of life. Now a new technique for eye treatment to enhanced our vision could be done easily through Lasik eye surgery. So you may wonder what is this new eye surgery is all about ? Lasik eye surgery is used to correct refractive errors which helps improve eye focusing power and enhances patients visual acuity. This would mean that those who are nearsighted, farsighted or with astigmatism can now eliminate or reduce their dependency on wearing contact lenses or thick eyeglasses. They could enjoy the freedom of clear vision at all times even engage in sports like swimming or can have a better carreer opportunities

One big question is whether Lasik eye surgery is for me ? After visiting wikipedia regarding Laser surgery, not all people with eye problems are good candidates for Lasik. Patients who have experienced an eye infection or injury in the past year should not undergo LASIK Visit your eye surgeon or optalmologist and seek their opinion whether Lasik treatment could be an option for you.

Another big concern maybe in undergoing the Lasik eye surgery would be the cost. Whenever such new technology arises, the cost would often be the main concern to patients. The cost for undergoing LASIK eye surgery would vary depending on the patient's degree of refractive error and the area of the country the procedure will be perform. What you may not know, is that there maybe available financing options for you.

For a range of LASIK eye surgery information please visit Docshop regarding laser treatment to learn more about ophthalmology, refractive surgery options, and other eye care concerns.

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Autism (part 2): Signs of Autism

The signs and symptoms of autism and related disorders. What every parent should know.






See also related posts :
Autism: A gift of hope, courage and inspiration
Autism - Checking for Symptons
Light at the end of the tunnel
Autism : Brief List of Where to Begin
Autism (part 2): Signs of Autism
Raising a Child with ADHD
Autism Resources for English speakers in Hong Kong



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Autism (Part 1) : What is Autism

One in 166 children is affected by autism. Special guest, Lou Diamond Phillips, introduces us to this mysterious disorder.

Protect Yourself Against Spam Emails

Many of us may have already received unsolicited emails often times called Spam emails.  Here are some simple tips to minimize receiving spam emails.

1.          Be very cautious when disclosing your email address or your personal information.  
2.        When filling out web registration forms, online surveys, etc, try to check the privacy policy of the web sites or companies before you provide your personal information.
3.        Be careful when subscribing to free email account services, especially when filling in the account profiles.  
4.        Do not publish your personal emaik address on public web sites, contact directories or chat rooms.
5        Use separate email addresses for different purposes.  For eg. use one dummy email address for public newsgroups or chat rooms and another one for your personal emails.
6.        Don't open emails with a tricky subject headings such as "Remember me ?".  Spammers usually use this trick to lead you into thinking that you know the sender.
7.          Be careful when opening emails or attachments especially emails received from strangers.
8.        Simply delete emails from unknown or dubious sources.  Clicking on it would simply confirmed to the unknown sender that your email address is valid.
9.        Check the "Sent" folder to verify whether there are messages that were not sent by you.  If there are, probably your computer may have been hacked and used by spammers.  Report such concerns to the proper authority.  
10.        Use Email filters to reduce the no. of spam emails you receive.
11.          Install anti-virus and keep it with the latest anti-virus signatures.  Enable real time detection to scan for computer viruses or malicious code.
12.        Install personal firewall
13.        Always ensure to apply the latest security patches/ hot fixes for your operating system or applications installed in your computer.

Light at the end of the tunnel

Until my son reached 2 years old there was nothing in his manner to make us expect that we would shortly have to deal with the biggest challenge of our lives. A handsome boy who was beginning to speak single words and who loved music and dancing, Ben was an active crawler and demonstrated intelligence and wit. The first alarm bells rang when, having been a good sleeper, he would wake in the night and often not settle for several hours. He also developed a reaction to cow's milk, which he had happily drunk before.

Ben was very energetic; all he seemed to want to do was run around, almost hyperactively. We noticed that he was speaking less and seemed incapable of listening and following simple instructions. At playgroup, he had little interaction with other children or class activities, and when he began kindergarten at 3 the teachers advised us to seek professional help.

In October 2002 I took Ben to the Government Child Assessment Centre and was given an appointment for March 2003. For quicker results, we took him to a private doctor for a development assessment and were shocked to find that his development was delayed by more than a year. His language ability scored the lowest of all the tests.

We enrolled Ben in the private training programs run by the Heep Hong Society. We began one-on-one sessions with a therapist to get Ben to the stage that he would sit down and pay attention. At first Ben cried a lot, but he soon developed an excellent relationship with his therapist, who was extremely kind and supportive.

Finally the day of our appointment with the Child Assessment Centre came. Ben's abilities seemed to have improved, and we were hoping for good results. However in the waiting room Ben fixed his attention on a toy hippo and refused to co-operate. We were told he showed some features of autism spectrum disorders and may need to go to a special school.

It was a hard diagnosis to swallow and I confided in some of my close friends. A few days later I received an email from one of them who had taken the time and trouble to search the internet for information on autism. I was touched and felt the doorway to my journey to understanding the disorder had opened.

I learned one hard fact; autism is a disorder with no real cure. Research showed various intervention therapies may help to an extent, and one thing most of the experts agreed on was that if I could get help for my son before he was 5, then we had a better chance that he would be able to lead a relatively normal life.

A week after the diagnosis I visited another private doctor to discuss biological treatments. We eliminated dairy and wheat products, and began vitamin supplements and cod liver oil - in very high dosages. For Ben, the cod liver oil was highly effective and within just one week he seemed a lot calmer and he was able to sit and learn simple words through flashcards.

During SARS when the schools were closed, my son spent a lot of time with his caretaker (an English speaker), and he seemed to be learning new words and his concentration was improving. It was at this time that we realized he was an English speaker.

In May we took Ben for an assessment with a psychologist, who confirmed Ben's previous diagnosis but added he was emerging on the high-functioning side. Ben's vocabulary was judged to be at the low end of the normal range expected for his age, however his spoken and receptive language was only at the level of a child of 1 year 7 months - at this stage he was just over 3. The psychologist recommend we keep his language as English, as his Chinese was virtually zero and it would only serve to confuse him, so we moved from Heep Hong to Watchdog and joined the waiting list for the government subsidized program. In the meantime we began seeing a language therapist.

By now I had read up on lots of different treatments and cases of autistic children. One book was about a boy called Ryan and when I finished the book I reflected that I had just read the story of Ben's life to date. This was when I first began to hope that we could help him to live a 'normal' life as Ryan was now doing.

Another article I read talked about homeopathy as an alternative treatment. I found a practitioner and took Ben to see her. We left the appointment with a bottle of medicine and were told to administer 10 drops three times a day. The next day our helper was astounded at the change in Ben, and even the speech therapist questioned whether we had returned with the same child. Ben was a lot calmer, was starting to reach out and interact with other people and seemed to enjoy playing with other children. I was delighted when one day I took him to the park and he ran off after one of the older children.

In late August we started the ABA program at the Autism Partnership. Ben was signed up for 15 hours a week and the improvement was amazing. From a limited word vocabulary when he joined, he now speaks in sentences and answers questions. In December we had another language assessment and Ben was shown to have the receptive language of a child 2 years and 8 months and the spoken language of 2 years 3 months.

I don't know which element of all the treatments we tried has been the most effective, or whether they work together to produce these great results. Certainly, I believe that these treatments enabled Ben to reach a level where he was ready for learning and therefore able to adapt to the intensive ABA program. Nutrition and diet intervention are not recommended by behavioral therapists, and traditional doctors will tell you the dosage of vitamins and cod liver oil is harmful to children and that homeopathic treatment is a fairy tale. Speech therapists will tell you the ABA program is for training animals and good for making a kid sit down but it's not about language learning.

The Hong Kong Chinese are less accommodating of syndromes such as autism. They tend to believe that sufferers should be institutionalized, rather than given a chance at normal life. Many local parents don't want to talk about things like this - it is considered a loss of face. I want to and if I hadn't talked about it to my friends, I would have never got the original email and begun such a successful course of treatment for Ben.

We are delighted that Ben will start at an English pre-school this month. He will continue to spend half of each day at the Autism Partnership, as well as two half days at Watchdog. I now feel a lot of hope for my son. His progression over the past three months has been even faster than Ryan from the book. Looking ahead I want my son to be accepted to either ESF or another international school. I must admit there is still a big gap but it seems to be closing up.

** Original article published in February 2004 issue of Playtimes magazine.

To read more about Ben's treatment journal, pls click here


See also related posts :
Autism: A gift of hope, courage and inspiration
Autism - Checking for Symptons
Light at the end of the tunnel
Autism : Brief List of Where to Begin
Autism (part 2): Signs of Autism
Raising a Child with ADHD
Autism Resources for English speakers in Hong Kong
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I signed up for PPP !

Most of my friends have their own blog sites created and with their urging, I have likewise created this site sometime in late 2007. I must admit that initially, I really don't know of what topics I should write about. Then came the idea that since those who are accessing the internet are mostly searching for information, then the idea of references came into my mind, Thus this site Reference Notes was created. In the first few months of blogging, I am not sure whether there are visitors to my site, until my friends told me to add site statistics to track the performance of my site. Last March, I did try to revise the site layout and add some sites tools which made me realized that there are really visitors.

Then last month my friend advice me to apply to PayPerPost blogging as he himself had benefited from it. I have been hearing a lot of good things about PayPerPost, howver, I am not sure how it works. So with a bit of curiosity, I did try to go to PayPerPost website, read the FAQs and signed up on May 2. I waited and been eager to see whether my site would be approved. 3 days have past and my blogsite was still pending for approval. On 6 May 2008, I have received a notification email from PayPerPost that says :

"we cannot approve your blog because your blog isn’t loading. Please submit your blog as soon as it’s loading properly once again."

My site Isn't loading ??? I wonder what was wrong then with my site. So I did try to check the information I have provided to PayPerPost and there was the problem, I have mistyped my own blog's URL. So I did try to update it, and waited for it to be approved again. Just this morning, PayPerPost had send a notification that this site has been approved. I am quite excited and this article will be my first to PayPerPost. I still don't know what to do for earnings from PayPerPost blogging. Probably, I'll donate it later to my favorite charity institution (Tahanang Walang Hagdan) back in my own country (Philippines).

And for those who might be interested to signed up for PayPerPost. Please click this link to know more about blog advertising.

Sa Aking Pagtanda

I've just receive this email from a friend...

Here's something to touch our hearts...

      Sa aking pagtanda, unawain mo sana ako at pagpasensyahan. Kapag dala ng kalabuan ng mata ay nakabasag ako ng pinggan o nakatapon ng sabaw sa hapag kainan, huwag mo sana akong kagagalitan. Maramdamin ang isang matanda. Nagse-self-pity ako sa tuwing sisigawan mo ako.

     Kapag mahina na ang tenga ko at hindi ko maintindihan ang sinasabi mo, huwag mo naman sana akong sabihan ng "binge!" paki-ulit nalang ang sinabi mo o pakisulat nalang. Pasensya ka na, anak. Matanda na talaga ako.

     Kapag mahina na tuhod ko, pagtiyagaan mo sana akong tulungang tumayo, katulad ng pag-aalalay ko sa iyo noong nag-aaral ka pa lamang lumakad.

     Pagpasensyahan mo sana ako kung ako man ay nagiging makulit at paulit ulit na parang sirang plaka. Basta pakinggan mo nalang ako. Huwag mo sana akong pagtatawanan o pagsasawaang pakinggan. Natatandaan mo anak noong bata ka pa? kapag gusto mo ng lobo,paulit-ulit mo 'yong sasabihin, maghapon kang mangungulit hangga't hindi mo nakukuha ang gusto mo. Pinagtyagaan ko ang kakulitan mo.

     Pagpasensyahan mo na rin sana ang aking amoy. Amoy matanda, amoy lupa. Huwag mo sana akong piliting maligo. Mahina na ang katawan ko. Madaling magkasakit kapag nalamigan, huwag mo sana akong pandirihan. Natatandaan mo noong bata ka pa? Pinatyagaan kitang habulin sa ilalim ng kama kapag ayaw mong maligo.

     Pagpasensyahan mo sana kung madalas, ako'y masungit, dala na marahil ito ng katandaan. Pagtanda mo, maiintindihan mo rin.

     Kapag may konti kang panahon, magkwentuhan naman tayo, kahit sandali lang. inip na ako sa bahay, maghapong nag-iisa. Walang kausap. Alam kong busy ka sa trabaho, subalit nais kong malaman mo na sabik na sabik na akong makakwentuhan ka, kahit alam kong hindi ka interesado sa mga kwento ko. Natatandaan mo anak, noong bata ka pa? Pinagtyagaan kong pakinggan at intindihin ang pautal-utal mong kwento tungkol sa iyong teddy bear.

     At kapag dumating ang sandali na ako'y magkakasakit at maratay sa banig ng karamdaman, huwag mo sana akong pagsawaan alagaan. Pagpasensyahan mo na sana kung ako man ay maihi o madumi sa higaan, pagtyagaan mo sana akong alagaan sa mga huling sandali ng aking buhay. Tutal hindi na naman ako magtatagal.

     Kapag dumating ang sandali ng aking pagpanaw, hawakan mo sana ang aking kamay at bigyan mo ako ng lakas ng loob na harapin ang kamatayan.

     At huwag kang mag-alala, kapag kaharap ko na ang Diyos na lumikha, ibubulong ko sa kanya na pagpalain ka sana … dahil naging mapagmahal ka sa iyong ama't ina…

Written by
Rev. Fr. Ariel F. Robles
CWL Spiritual Director
St. Augustine Parish
Baliuag, Bulacan

Autism Resources for English speakers in Hong Kong

Autism Resources for English speakers in Hong Kong:

Support Group for Parents:

Autism Parents Network                 www.autismpnhk.org

Rainbow Project (HK)                 www.rainbowproject.org

Education:

Rainbow Project (HK)                 www.rainbowproject.org

Anfield International Kindergarten        www.anfield.com.hk

Woodland Pre-School                 www.woodlandschool.com

The Child Institute                         www.tcihk.org

Koala International Kindergarten         www.koalakinder.com.hk

Assessment & Training:

Pang's Music Therapy Centre         www.musictherapy.com.hk

Step Centre for Child Development         www.step-hk.com (Chinese website content) Tel: (852) 28-992-993

Potential Development Association Ltd. www.pdachild.com.hk 

Autism Partnership                         www.autismpartnership.com

Hong Kong Vocational Centre         www.hkvc.org.hk


See also related posts :
Autism: A gift of hope, courage and inspiration
Autism - Checking for Symptons
Light at the end of the tunnel
Autism : Brief List of Where to Begin
Autism (part 2): Signs of Autism
Raising a Child with ADHD
Autism Resources for English speakers in Hong Kong

Autism : Brief List of Where to Begin

Yes, children can recover from autism. And to varying degrees, and depending on the individual child, there can be a lessening of autistic symptoms. Most often this process will require extraordinary effort by the parents to turn over every stone in the quest to help their child. What follows is a brief list of where to begin.

1.         Begin the education process.

2.        Find an autism doctor.

3.         Read these books:

• Lewis, Lisa, PhD.   Special Diets for Special Kids. Future Horizons, 1998.
• Lewis, Lisa.   Special Diets for Special Kids Two. Future Horizons, 2001.
• Maurice, Catherine.   Let Me Hear Your Voice. Ballantine Books, 1994.
• Seroussi, Karyn.   Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Broadway Books, 2002.

4.         Educate yourself about the GF/CF diet.

5.         Become a good GF/CF cook.

6.         Educate your spouse.

7.         Attend a conference on autism.

8.         Look into biomedical treatments.

9.         Supplement, supplement, supplement.

10.         Start a behavior-therapy program.

In summary, you are about to begin an odyssey that will change your life in ways you never dreamed of. There will be days when you cry in frustration over the setbacks, and days when you dance for joy on the successes. Especially in the beginning stages, expect to take one step back for every two steps forward. This is still progress, however slow.

None of these therapies comes with a predictable rate of improvement. Many believe that you need three months to a year before you can accurately monitor the success of your efforts. You might feel that real progress has been made when, one day, your child passes some important developmental milestone―or simply when you have the overall feeling that your daily family life now has an element of normalcy.

―M.R.

For the unabridged version of this article, please see www.mothering.com/10-0-0/html/10-8-0/diagnosis-autism.shtml


See also related posts :
Autism: A gift of hope, courage and inspiration
Autism - Checking for Symptons
Light at the end of the tunnel
Autism : Brief List of Where to Begin
Autism (part 2): Signs of Autism
Raising a Child with ADHD
Autism Resources for English speakers in Hong Kong

Laughter

***Laughter dissolves tension, stress, anxiety, irritation, anger, grief, and depression. Like crying, laughter lowers inhibitions, allowing the release of pent-up emotions. After a hearty bout of laughter, you will experience a sense of well-being. Simply put, he who laughs, lasts. After all, if you can laugh at it, you can live with it. Remember, a person without a sense of humor is like a car without shock absorbers

***Medical researches have found that laughter boosts the immune system. The study of how behavior and the brain affect the immune system is called psychoneuroimmunology. Though still in its infancy, this science is rapidly gaining much attention as mankind strives to understand the mind-body relationship.

***Laughter reduces pain by releasing endorphins that are more potent than equivalent amounts of morphine.
***Humor helps integrate both hemispheres of our brain, for the left hemisphere is used to decipher the verbal content of a joke while the right hemisphere interprets whether it is funny or not.

***Laughter adds spice to life; it is to life what salt is to a hard-boiled egg.

***Develop your sense of humor and you will find you are more productive, a better communicator, and a superior team player.

***Everyone loves someone who can make them laugh. The more you share your sense of humor, the more friends you will have.

***Humor brings the balance we need to get through the turbulence of life comfortably.

***Laughter is even equivalent to a small amount of exercise. It massages all the organs of the body, according to Dr. James Walsh.

***A sense of humor can help you accept the inevitable, rise to any challenge, handle the unexpected with ease, and come out of any difficulty smiling.

**"Humor isn't about merely telling jokes; it's the way we view the world."