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Angelman Today INCLUDING RESOURCES RESEARCH INSPIRATION digital magazine Reduce Seizures with the LGIT

Angelman Today January - February 2014 Edition

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Angelman Today in an online magazine dedicated to Angelman Syndrome. www.angelmantoday.comIn this edition:Angelman Syndrome and SleepA Cure for LouieThe History of Angelman SyndromeInternational Angelman DayAngels Week Off Vacation GiveawayLow Glycemic Index Treatment by Dr. Thibert

Citation preview

Angelman Today

INCLUDING RESOURCES RESEARCH INSPIRATION

digital magazine

Reduce

Seizures

with the

LGIT

Happy New Year

I am so excited to welcome in 2014 Last year was wonderful As

you know we first launched Angelman Today over the summer

and had such a great response with support from the community

and the scientific and medical professionals involved with

Angelman Syndrome

I am hopeful for the future with the ongoing research projects

funded by the hardworking foundations across the globe I am so

very happy to see the alliance of foundations in funding research

I not only wish you health and happiness in the new year but will

search high and low to find you information products and

services to help make your today easier and your future brighter

We brought you the article last edition about MAPS doctors they

are in my experience the ticket to a healthier today and an even

better tomorrow

Warm Wishes

Lizzie Sordia

Editor - in - Chief

EDITORrsquoS LETTER

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angels in Action - Rylee age 9helliphelliphellip6

A Cure for Louiehelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip9

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM

Fat and the Human Brainhelliphelliphelliphelliphellip16

The History of Angelman Syndrome18

International Angelman Dayhelliphelliphelliphellip19

The Gift of Helplessnesshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip21

Angels in Action ndash Lukas age 15helliphellip24

Aromatherapy for Angelshelliphelliphelliphelliphellip28

LGIT (Low Glycemic Index Treatment)

Chocolate Help Milk

by Sybille Kraft Bellamyhelliphelliphelliphelliphellip32

Interview with Dr Thiberthelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip33

About the Low Glycemic Treatment

Angelman Syndrome and Sleephelliphellip38

Angels Week Offhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip40

Vacation Giveaway

Valentine Raspberry Moussehelliphelliphellip44

ABA ndash Applied Behavior Analysishelliphellip46

Whatrsquos inside

Angelman and Associated

Foundations

Angelman Portugal hellip10

The Angelman Syndrome

Foundationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip14

The Angelman Network ndash New

Zealandhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip20

THERAsurfhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip26

Angelman Syndrome Belgiumhellip27

Casa Angelman Argentinahelliphelliphellip30

Israeli Angelman Syndrome

Foundationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip31

Angelman Syndrome

Association Spainhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip35

Canadian Angelman Syndrome

Societyhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip37

Nina Foundationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip43

Angels Week Off

Vacation Giveaway 44

18

40

19

Cover

Maycol Buffet

3 yrs old AS

From Argentina

46

4

Potty Training Tips By Keisha Tipton Mom to Rylee age 9

Here is Ryleersquos data form that I use

-I simply mark the date and time that I

took her to the bathroom

-Then I place a checkmark whether she

went 1 or 2 in the potty

-In the comments section I write whether

her pull up was wet or dry

Date Time 1 2 Comments

When she stays dry for weeks on end I

switch her to panties

For traveling I still use Pull-ups There are

times she can even wear panties overnight as

long as she goes good before bed doesnrsquot

have too much to drink and has good seizure

control

When she starts having accidents it is a

possibility that she is losing seizure control

I hope this helps

Thank you Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwStriderBikescom

STRIDER is proud to support the special needs community by providing lightweight fun inclusive bikes

for kids of all abilities

As a parent who has been

injected into disability culture

through a loved one I feel we

also have a separate and unique

Angelman Syndrome culture

Our Angelman family is

accepting supportive and non-

judgmental a culture that we

are all proud of sharing with

one another Yes we have

trials and tribulations to

overcome but we are far from

alone in this journey We build

each other up with words of

encouragement and support

Each family goes through our

own experiences

Irsquod like to take a moment to

share with you our story A

story that is essentially just

beginning because I see an

optimistic future for Rylee

where before it hasnrsquot always

looked so bright

We all know those grim

feelings upon that dreaded

diagnosis and the instant

worries and fears we faced for

our children These feelings

fuel my fire for creating every

opportunity for Rylee to

succeed in life despite the

challenges she faces I refuse

to wallow in the sadness and

grief How can I when Rylee is

the most forgiving loving and

cheerful little girl We have a

life to live and I want her to

experience it all to the greatest

extent possible

Communication is a hurdle all

of our children face and without

it our lives are extremely

limited All of our kids have

incredible and intelligent

thoughts that are trapped inside

ldquoI want the world to hear

Ryleersquos thoughts and I

know she wants to share

them with the worldrdquo

We are just breaking the tip of

the iceberg with regard to

communication but just this is

more than I could have ever

imagined in those early days of

her diagnosis One of the most

important things I did as

Ryleersquos mother was erasing the

damage that ldquodisabilityrdquo label

caused Who was anyone to

say what my child was capable

of So many people have

thought I was crazy for

dreaming so big but I had

to ignore and persevere

When Rylee was seven I

decided to homeschool her

because of my goals and

aspirations for her life that

werenrsquot being met in her

previous school setting I

wanted an AAC system that

allowed her to share her true

thoughts and did not force

her to communicate what

the adults in her life wanted

her to communicate In my

opinion it is not true

communication when

communication is forced in

an unnatural environment

I wanted Rylee to learn to

read and write as that would

broaden her world even

more in the realm of

communication and

knowledge At the time I

was not certain exactly how

to go about it but I had to

try and going about it alone

was my only option

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Keisha Tipton Mom to Rylee age 9

I spent the first year primarily

focusing on her first full

language AAC system known

as PODD with the help of

others in our community In

other aspects to her education

I was still stuck in that

common special education

mentality which required

Rylee to prove she was

learning instead of presuming

it up front I needed to see

those check marks that I was

taught were so important I

explicitly taught her

lowercase letter sounds

through a modified version of

Discrete Trial Training

While she was good at it this

approach was not empowering

her as a learner It was

forcing her to prove her

competence and constantly

perform what I wanted her to

perform

I have since been introduced

to a whole new perspective

that aligns perfectly with my

teaching philosophy

I want to empower Rylee to

be a thinker a doer and an

active participant in her own

life and education Since

homeschooling her and

pulling her out of public

schools I have watched the

most beautiful transformation

in Rylee going from this

passive compliant

extrinsically motivated

product of special education

to someone whom is actively

seeking new information and

The educators in charge of

teaching our children only

know what they have been

taught through their own

education which primarily

focuses on those common

behavioral approaches (I know

because Irsquom currently

obtaining my Masters in

Special Education)

The only way we can change

the face of special education

and the way our children are

taught is to lead by example

being intrinsically motivated to

learn I feel like she is seeing

herself as a learner for the first

time in her life because I shifted

my focus on the messages I was

sending to her

I scrapped all behavioral

approaches and replaced them

with appropriate tools to bridge the

gap from what her biology limits

her from doing and what she needs

to be doing I removed all

demands on her performance and

began providing authentic

experiences for her to

learn and explore with these new

tools

I am not writing this to encourage

anyone to pull their children out of

public schools and start

homeschooling It is my goal in

writing this to show that there are

other perspectives to teaching our

children and empowering them as

individuals

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you

A Big Thanks to all of the contributors that help

bring you Angelman Today

Angelman Today Supporters

Sleep Safe Beds wwwsleepsafebedcom

Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

All of the Angelman

and Associated

Foundations

across the globe

Contributors Dr Ronald Thibert

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Keisha Tipton

Shari Caspert

Angela Humble Tucker

Regie and Yolanda Hamm

Betty Willemsen

Mark Mautone MA ABA

Terry Jo V Bichell -

MPH CNM and Parent

Angelman Today is a lifestyle guide to achieving better health for individuals with Angelman Syndrome and their families It is written with your needs in mind but is not a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health care providers The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions products or procedures that appear on this website or online magazine All matters regarding your health should be supervised by a licensed health care physician Copyright 2013 Angelman Today LLC All rights reserved worldwide

A Cure for Louie

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM (PhD candidate)

Nashville TN February 26 2012

I learned while traveling in Nigeria long

ago that the child who follows twins is

supposed to bring luck or be lucky or

carry some kind of amazing happy

blessing I remember thinking about

that luckiness when I saw Louiersquos

squished newborn face just after his

cord was cut

Louie was born in February 1999

sweet social and sleepless just like his

big sisters We didnrsquot learn until a year

later when we sought a reason for his

inability to sit up and crawl and babble

like all the other playgroup babies that

he was born without a crucial piece of

my 15th chromosome He was made

from a good sperm and a bad egg

Ironic considering that the last two of

his four older sisters had come from an

egg so lucky it split in half and made

gorgeous brilliant identical twins

The egg that made Louie had a tiny

chunk missing while the sperm was

perfectly intact The lack of that little

piece of maternal DNA specifically the

lack of one particular gene Ube3a

causes Angelman syndrome Since his

diagnosis I have dreamed of Ube3a

pondered Ube3a cursed Ube3a and

pleaded with Ube3a Why did that little

piece fall out Was it my Fourth of July

beer drinking in the month following his

conception Was it my bad behavior as

a high school and college student Was

it a karmic curse for selfish decisions as

a young adult Was it because my

parentsrsquo neighborhood in Texas had

been regularly sprayed with DDT Was

it because as good Christians assured

me unbidden our family could uniquely

handle a child with a severe disability

and we had been chosen for this task

by a higher power

It turns out that this section of the

human genome is just a weak spot in

our genetic code a chunk that is prone

to falling out or rearranging itself

These genes fall out before or during

conception without regard to age

substance abuse socio-economic

status race ethnicity religion or

sexual preference It is just bad luck

When Louie was diagnosed with

Angelman syndrome we were told

with variable sensitivity that he would

have severe epilepsy and severe

mental retardation now referred to as

an intellectual disability by ldquoPeople-

Firstrdquo terminology We were told that

he might never walk he might never

eat normally or toilet-train he would be

hyperactive sleepless and a danger to

himself during the long sleepless

nights With good care he would live a

normal lifespan and he would never

speak a word It seemed to my

husband and me to be pretty bad luck

Or was it My husband is a pediatric

heart surgeon and his patients are

babies born with only half a heart or

hearts with a missing piece or a

twisted section or a mismatched

middle Usually he fixes their

enormous cardiac bad luck and these

delicate babies come out of the ICU to

be pink and vibrant They grow up and

play sports and come back to visit and

shake his hand

I never doubted that there would also

be a way to fix the missing piece of

Louiersquos DNA

Louie was lucky to be born a mere 2

years after brilliant scientists

Art Beaudet and Joe Wagstaff had

identified maternal Ube3a as the

source of Angelman syndrome

They had also found that the normal

companion gene on the paternal

15th chromosome was turned off

as it is in everyone All of us leave

our fatherrsquos Ube3a to rest using

only our motherrsquos Ube3a to do what

needs to be done So Louie was

missing the Ube3a that I should

have given him and his fatherrsquos

Ube3a was just sitting there

perfectly good but dormant

It seemed possible plausible to be

able to get that paternal Ube3a off

the couch and into the kitchen All

we needed to do was turn it on

somehow and maybe Louie would

walk eat sleep well and speak

My husband and I used all our

medical wherewithal to help the

brilliant scientists move their ideas

about awakening the paternal gene

into clinical trials and real kids

Despite all the best efforts nothing

worked The paternal Ube3a

stayed a snooze I went back to

school at the age of 50 to join the

quest for the holy gene grail myself

as a PhD student in neuroscience

convinced that the cure lay almost

visible reachable just over the next

hump And it was In an amazing stroke of good fortune two young scientists Ed Weeber in Florida and Ben Philpot in North Carolina joined the fray and independently went to work on the problem In December 2011 right before the holidays both published papers

ANGEL ASSOCIACcedilAtildeO SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DE PORTUGAL

WWWFACEBOOKCOMANGELMANPT

CONTACTOSTLF96 8691906 (OPT)91 6474909 (TMN)96 6885700 (TMN)91 2448103 (VDF)

E-MAIL GERALANGELPT

WWWANGELPT

O SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DESCOBERTO EM MEADOS DA DEacuteCADA DE 60 PELO DR HARRY ANGELMAN O PEDIATRA INGLEcircS DE QUEM HERDOU O NOME Eacute UMA DOENCcedilA GENEacuteTICO-NEUROLOacuteGICA QUE SE ESTIMA QUE AFETE 1 EM CADA 15000 NASCIDOS VIVOS A CAUSA DESTE SIacuteNDROME Eacute NA MAIOR PARTE DOS CASOS A AUSEcircNCIA OU IMPERFEICcedilAtildeO DO CROMOSSOMA 15 (REGIAtildeO Q 11-13) HERDADO DA MAtildeE CARACTERIZA-SE ENTRE OUTROS PELO SEVERO ATRASO NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DIFICULDADE NA FALA DISTUacuteRBIOS NO SONO CONVULSOtildeES MOVIMENTOS DESCONEXOS E SORRISO FREQUENTE

The gentleman in North Carolina had

designed one of those simply beautiful

experiments that I can now appreciate

as a neuroscience student He used

dishes of cells from a genetically

engineered mouse that would glow

yellow only if the paternal Ube3a was

turned on Then he poured a selection

of 2000 known neuroactive medications

and compounds onto the cells and

waited to see which ones would glow I

imagine him grabbing the plate with one

yellow well from a naive undergraduate

student and shouting ldquoEurekardquo Or

maybe he simply figured it was a

mistake and sent the poor beleaguered

student back to the lab to repeat the

experiment until he was convinced by

the evidence Amazingly

unexpectedly one drug a brain cancer

drug Topotecan allowed the paternal

Ube3a to activate turning the cells

yellow Philpot had found a way to cure

Angelman syndrome The cure

But what does it mean to cure a person

with a developmental disability Hasnrsquot

the brain developed in an abnormal

way Many people with Angelman

syndrome have microcephaly small

heads Doesnrsquot that mean that their

brains havenrsquot grown enough Doesnrsquot

that mean that the disorder is

irreversible

Not necessarily It is a question of

structure versus function If the

Angelman brain is built differently than

the typical brain then a cure might be

farfetched Whole neural pathways

would have to be unwound and

rewound channels filled in and re-dug

branches built where none had reached

before Maybe not impossible to fix but

nigh

On the other hand if Angelman

syndrome is a synaptic disease and all

the neurons are there but

misconnecting like diplomats

without a translator then maybe a cure

could supply the missing ingredient and

the neurons would jump into action A

few days before Philpotrsquos research came

out just before Christmas 2011 Dr Ed

Weeber published a separate study on

another strain of adult Angelman mice

Weeber delivered the Ube3a gene into

the brains of these mice and Angelman

behaviors normalized Thatrsquos right Full-

grown mice with the mouse form of

Angelman syndrome get better when you

supply the gene they are missing So it

isnrsquot structural Itrsquos synaptic

Weeber showed that Angelman

syndrome can be reversed and Philpot

found the drug that can reverse it What

luck

Hold your breath There is no way to

know if the drug Philpot identified will

improve Angelman symptoms in humans

until we try it in humans But what all

this means is that it is possible that

sometime in the near future we could

give Topotecan or some other drug like

it to a kid with Angelman syndrome

maybe even a teenager maybe even

Louie and reverse the symptoms

What does that mean Will Louie lean

forward and say ldquoPass the salt pleaserdquo

Will he run and jump Will he dream

Maybe hersquoll tell us all the things that have

been bothering him all this time recount

all the conversations wersquove had in front of

him and the cusswords wersquove said to

other drivers while he has been in the

backseat sweetly smiling

Louie has lived 13 years in silence

coddled and catered to Oh wersquove

worked him hard taught him to sight-

read flashcards and communicate a bit

through signs and an iPAD Wersquove

dragged him to swim classes and hippo

therapy and every other technique that

showed any promise

Hersquos learned a lot all these years but

what about all the lessons hersquos

missed things he hasnrsquot learned or

understood playmates and friends

hersquos never had sports hersquos never

played Even in the most active

and conscientious family the life of

an intellectually disabled non-verbal

child is severely restricted

Thankfully smiling a lot and being

happy is another well-known

symptom of Angelman syndrome

Will a ldquocurerdquo cause Louie to be as

anxious and crabby and irritable as

the rest of us

Does it matter If Louie had been

born with no legs and a fantastic

medical team had invented a form of

artificial limbs that could be

permanently implanted we would

have jumped to get him a pair

If Louie had been born with half a

heart we would have sent him to a

hotshot surgeon to manufacture the

other half out of his own muscle and

tissue

If Louie had been born with the gene

for Huntingtonrsquos disease and a drug

was discovered that could stall the

inexorable brain deterioration

caused by the mutation we wouldnrsquot

hesitate to give it to him

Strangely people I know are having

a very hard time with the idea of

giving Louie a drug that might cure

his mental retardation Experts on

developmental disabilities squirm as

if I am suggesting that we cure

Louiersquos ethnicity Educators

continue to insist as they always

have that pushing Louie to learn

academic skills is a waste of time

Friends balk assuming that a brain

disorder canrsquot really be ldquocuredrdquo and

that I am living in a state of rose-

colored denial

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bedwith Padding and IV Accessories

SleepSafereg - Low Bed

SleepSaferreg- High Bedoers the most safety protection with two removable safety rails

SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

SleepSafeBedcom

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in Multi-Color

SleepSaferreg- High Bedwith one safety rail removedand one safety rail rotated down

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in White

SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Happy New Year

I am so excited to welcome in 2014 Last year was wonderful As

you know we first launched Angelman Today over the summer

and had such a great response with support from the community

and the scientific and medical professionals involved with

Angelman Syndrome

I am hopeful for the future with the ongoing research projects

funded by the hardworking foundations across the globe I am so

very happy to see the alliance of foundations in funding research

I not only wish you health and happiness in the new year but will

search high and low to find you information products and

services to help make your today easier and your future brighter

We brought you the article last edition about MAPS doctors they

are in my experience the ticket to a healthier today and an even

better tomorrow

Warm Wishes

Lizzie Sordia

Editor - in - Chief

EDITORrsquoS LETTER

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angels in Action - Rylee age 9helliphelliphellip6

A Cure for Louiehelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip9

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM

Fat and the Human Brainhelliphelliphelliphelliphellip16

The History of Angelman Syndrome18

International Angelman Dayhelliphelliphelliphellip19

The Gift of Helplessnesshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip21

Angels in Action ndash Lukas age 15helliphellip24

Aromatherapy for Angelshelliphelliphelliphelliphellip28

LGIT (Low Glycemic Index Treatment)

Chocolate Help Milk

by Sybille Kraft Bellamyhelliphelliphelliphelliphellip32

Interview with Dr Thiberthelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip33

About the Low Glycemic Treatment

Angelman Syndrome and Sleephelliphellip38

Angels Week Offhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip40

Vacation Giveaway

Valentine Raspberry Moussehelliphelliphellip44

ABA ndash Applied Behavior Analysishelliphellip46

Whatrsquos inside

Angelman and Associated

Foundations

Angelman Portugal hellip10

The Angelman Syndrome

Foundationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip14

The Angelman Network ndash New

Zealandhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip20

THERAsurfhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip26

Angelman Syndrome Belgiumhellip27

Casa Angelman Argentinahelliphelliphellip30

Israeli Angelman Syndrome

Foundationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip31

Angelman Syndrome

Association Spainhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip35

Canadian Angelman Syndrome

Societyhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip37

Nina Foundationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip43

Angels Week Off

Vacation Giveaway 44

18

40

19

Cover

Maycol Buffet

3 yrs old AS

From Argentina

46

4

Potty Training Tips By Keisha Tipton Mom to Rylee age 9

Here is Ryleersquos data form that I use

-I simply mark the date and time that I

took her to the bathroom

-Then I place a checkmark whether she

went 1 or 2 in the potty

-In the comments section I write whether

her pull up was wet or dry

Date Time 1 2 Comments

When she stays dry for weeks on end I

switch her to panties

For traveling I still use Pull-ups There are

times she can even wear panties overnight as

long as she goes good before bed doesnrsquot

have too much to drink and has good seizure

control

When she starts having accidents it is a

possibility that she is losing seizure control

I hope this helps

Thank you Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwStriderBikescom

STRIDER is proud to support the special needs community by providing lightweight fun inclusive bikes

for kids of all abilities

As a parent who has been

injected into disability culture

through a loved one I feel we

also have a separate and unique

Angelman Syndrome culture

Our Angelman family is

accepting supportive and non-

judgmental a culture that we

are all proud of sharing with

one another Yes we have

trials and tribulations to

overcome but we are far from

alone in this journey We build

each other up with words of

encouragement and support

Each family goes through our

own experiences

Irsquod like to take a moment to

share with you our story A

story that is essentially just

beginning because I see an

optimistic future for Rylee

where before it hasnrsquot always

looked so bright

We all know those grim

feelings upon that dreaded

diagnosis and the instant

worries and fears we faced for

our children These feelings

fuel my fire for creating every

opportunity for Rylee to

succeed in life despite the

challenges she faces I refuse

to wallow in the sadness and

grief How can I when Rylee is

the most forgiving loving and

cheerful little girl We have a

life to live and I want her to

experience it all to the greatest

extent possible

Communication is a hurdle all

of our children face and without

it our lives are extremely

limited All of our kids have

incredible and intelligent

thoughts that are trapped inside

ldquoI want the world to hear

Ryleersquos thoughts and I

know she wants to share

them with the worldrdquo

We are just breaking the tip of

the iceberg with regard to

communication but just this is

more than I could have ever

imagined in those early days of

her diagnosis One of the most

important things I did as

Ryleersquos mother was erasing the

damage that ldquodisabilityrdquo label

caused Who was anyone to

say what my child was capable

of So many people have

thought I was crazy for

dreaming so big but I had

to ignore and persevere

When Rylee was seven I

decided to homeschool her

because of my goals and

aspirations for her life that

werenrsquot being met in her

previous school setting I

wanted an AAC system that

allowed her to share her true

thoughts and did not force

her to communicate what

the adults in her life wanted

her to communicate In my

opinion it is not true

communication when

communication is forced in

an unnatural environment

I wanted Rylee to learn to

read and write as that would

broaden her world even

more in the realm of

communication and

knowledge At the time I

was not certain exactly how

to go about it but I had to

try and going about it alone

was my only option

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Keisha Tipton Mom to Rylee age 9

I spent the first year primarily

focusing on her first full

language AAC system known

as PODD with the help of

others in our community In

other aspects to her education

I was still stuck in that

common special education

mentality which required

Rylee to prove she was

learning instead of presuming

it up front I needed to see

those check marks that I was

taught were so important I

explicitly taught her

lowercase letter sounds

through a modified version of

Discrete Trial Training

While she was good at it this

approach was not empowering

her as a learner It was

forcing her to prove her

competence and constantly

perform what I wanted her to

perform

I have since been introduced

to a whole new perspective

that aligns perfectly with my

teaching philosophy

I want to empower Rylee to

be a thinker a doer and an

active participant in her own

life and education Since

homeschooling her and

pulling her out of public

schools I have watched the

most beautiful transformation

in Rylee going from this

passive compliant

extrinsically motivated

product of special education

to someone whom is actively

seeking new information and

The educators in charge of

teaching our children only

know what they have been

taught through their own

education which primarily

focuses on those common

behavioral approaches (I know

because Irsquom currently

obtaining my Masters in

Special Education)

The only way we can change

the face of special education

and the way our children are

taught is to lead by example

being intrinsically motivated to

learn I feel like she is seeing

herself as a learner for the first

time in her life because I shifted

my focus on the messages I was

sending to her

I scrapped all behavioral

approaches and replaced them

with appropriate tools to bridge the

gap from what her biology limits

her from doing and what she needs

to be doing I removed all

demands on her performance and

began providing authentic

experiences for her to

learn and explore with these new

tools

I am not writing this to encourage

anyone to pull their children out of

public schools and start

homeschooling It is my goal in

writing this to show that there are

other perspectives to teaching our

children and empowering them as

individuals

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you

A Big Thanks to all of the contributors that help

bring you Angelman Today

Angelman Today Supporters

Sleep Safe Beds wwwsleepsafebedcom

Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

All of the Angelman

and Associated

Foundations

across the globe

Contributors Dr Ronald Thibert

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Keisha Tipton

Shari Caspert

Angela Humble Tucker

Regie and Yolanda Hamm

Betty Willemsen

Mark Mautone MA ABA

Terry Jo V Bichell -

MPH CNM and Parent

Angelman Today is a lifestyle guide to achieving better health for individuals with Angelman Syndrome and their families It is written with your needs in mind but is not a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health care providers The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions products or procedures that appear on this website or online magazine All matters regarding your health should be supervised by a licensed health care physician Copyright 2013 Angelman Today LLC All rights reserved worldwide

A Cure for Louie

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM (PhD candidate)

Nashville TN February 26 2012

I learned while traveling in Nigeria long

ago that the child who follows twins is

supposed to bring luck or be lucky or

carry some kind of amazing happy

blessing I remember thinking about

that luckiness when I saw Louiersquos

squished newborn face just after his

cord was cut

Louie was born in February 1999

sweet social and sleepless just like his

big sisters We didnrsquot learn until a year

later when we sought a reason for his

inability to sit up and crawl and babble

like all the other playgroup babies that

he was born without a crucial piece of

my 15th chromosome He was made

from a good sperm and a bad egg

Ironic considering that the last two of

his four older sisters had come from an

egg so lucky it split in half and made

gorgeous brilliant identical twins

The egg that made Louie had a tiny

chunk missing while the sperm was

perfectly intact The lack of that little

piece of maternal DNA specifically the

lack of one particular gene Ube3a

causes Angelman syndrome Since his

diagnosis I have dreamed of Ube3a

pondered Ube3a cursed Ube3a and

pleaded with Ube3a Why did that little

piece fall out Was it my Fourth of July

beer drinking in the month following his

conception Was it my bad behavior as

a high school and college student Was

it a karmic curse for selfish decisions as

a young adult Was it because my

parentsrsquo neighborhood in Texas had

been regularly sprayed with DDT Was

it because as good Christians assured

me unbidden our family could uniquely

handle a child with a severe disability

and we had been chosen for this task

by a higher power

It turns out that this section of the

human genome is just a weak spot in

our genetic code a chunk that is prone

to falling out or rearranging itself

These genes fall out before or during

conception without regard to age

substance abuse socio-economic

status race ethnicity religion or

sexual preference It is just bad luck

When Louie was diagnosed with

Angelman syndrome we were told

with variable sensitivity that he would

have severe epilepsy and severe

mental retardation now referred to as

an intellectual disability by ldquoPeople-

Firstrdquo terminology We were told that

he might never walk he might never

eat normally or toilet-train he would be

hyperactive sleepless and a danger to

himself during the long sleepless

nights With good care he would live a

normal lifespan and he would never

speak a word It seemed to my

husband and me to be pretty bad luck

Or was it My husband is a pediatric

heart surgeon and his patients are

babies born with only half a heart or

hearts with a missing piece or a

twisted section or a mismatched

middle Usually he fixes their

enormous cardiac bad luck and these

delicate babies come out of the ICU to

be pink and vibrant They grow up and

play sports and come back to visit and

shake his hand

I never doubted that there would also

be a way to fix the missing piece of

Louiersquos DNA

Louie was lucky to be born a mere 2

years after brilliant scientists

Art Beaudet and Joe Wagstaff had

identified maternal Ube3a as the

source of Angelman syndrome

They had also found that the normal

companion gene on the paternal

15th chromosome was turned off

as it is in everyone All of us leave

our fatherrsquos Ube3a to rest using

only our motherrsquos Ube3a to do what

needs to be done So Louie was

missing the Ube3a that I should

have given him and his fatherrsquos

Ube3a was just sitting there

perfectly good but dormant

It seemed possible plausible to be

able to get that paternal Ube3a off

the couch and into the kitchen All

we needed to do was turn it on

somehow and maybe Louie would

walk eat sleep well and speak

My husband and I used all our

medical wherewithal to help the

brilliant scientists move their ideas

about awakening the paternal gene

into clinical trials and real kids

Despite all the best efforts nothing

worked The paternal Ube3a

stayed a snooze I went back to

school at the age of 50 to join the

quest for the holy gene grail myself

as a PhD student in neuroscience

convinced that the cure lay almost

visible reachable just over the next

hump And it was In an amazing stroke of good fortune two young scientists Ed Weeber in Florida and Ben Philpot in North Carolina joined the fray and independently went to work on the problem In December 2011 right before the holidays both published papers

ANGEL ASSOCIACcedilAtildeO SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DE PORTUGAL

WWWFACEBOOKCOMANGELMANPT

CONTACTOSTLF96 8691906 (OPT)91 6474909 (TMN)96 6885700 (TMN)91 2448103 (VDF)

E-MAIL GERALANGELPT

WWWANGELPT

O SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DESCOBERTO EM MEADOS DA DEacuteCADA DE 60 PELO DR HARRY ANGELMAN O PEDIATRA INGLEcircS DE QUEM HERDOU O NOME Eacute UMA DOENCcedilA GENEacuteTICO-NEUROLOacuteGICA QUE SE ESTIMA QUE AFETE 1 EM CADA 15000 NASCIDOS VIVOS A CAUSA DESTE SIacuteNDROME Eacute NA MAIOR PARTE DOS CASOS A AUSEcircNCIA OU IMPERFEICcedilAtildeO DO CROMOSSOMA 15 (REGIAtildeO Q 11-13) HERDADO DA MAtildeE CARACTERIZA-SE ENTRE OUTROS PELO SEVERO ATRASO NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DIFICULDADE NA FALA DISTUacuteRBIOS NO SONO CONVULSOtildeES MOVIMENTOS DESCONEXOS E SORRISO FREQUENTE

The gentleman in North Carolina had

designed one of those simply beautiful

experiments that I can now appreciate

as a neuroscience student He used

dishes of cells from a genetically

engineered mouse that would glow

yellow only if the paternal Ube3a was

turned on Then he poured a selection

of 2000 known neuroactive medications

and compounds onto the cells and

waited to see which ones would glow I

imagine him grabbing the plate with one

yellow well from a naive undergraduate

student and shouting ldquoEurekardquo Or

maybe he simply figured it was a

mistake and sent the poor beleaguered

student back to the lab to repeat the

experiment until he was convinced by

the evidence Amazingly

unexpectedly one drug a brain cancer

drug Topotecan allowed the paternal

Ube3a to activate turning the cells

yellow Philpot had found a way to cure

Angelman syndrome The cure

But what does it mean to cure a person

with a developmental disability Hasnrsquot

the brain developed in an abnormal

way Many people with Angelman

syndrome have microcephaly small

heads Doesnrsquot that mean that their

brains havenrsquot grown enough Doesnrsquot

that mean that the disorder is

irreversible

Not necessarily It is a question of

structure versus function If the

Angelman brain is built differently than

the typical brain then a cure might be

farfetched Whole neural pathways

would have to be unwound and

rewound channels filled in and re-dug

branches built where none had reached

before Maybe not impossible to fix but

nigh

On the other hand if Angelman

syndrome is a synaptic disease and all

the neurons are there but

misconnecting like diplomats

without a translator then maybe a cure

could supply the missing ingredient and

the neurons would jump into action A

few days before Philpotrsquos research came

out just before Christmas 2011 Dr Ed

Weeber published a separate study on

another strain of adult Angelman mice

Weeber delivered the Ube3a gene into

the brains of these mice and Angelman

behaviors normalized Thatrsquos right Full-

grown mice with the mouse form of

Angelman syndrome get better when you

supply the gene they are missing So it

isnrsquot structural Itrsquos synaptic

Weeber showed that Angelman

syndrome can be reversed and Philpot

found the drug that can reverse it What

luck

Hold your breath There is no way to

know if the drug Philpot identified will

improve Angelman symptoms in humans

until we try it in humans But what all

this means is that it is possible that

sometime in the near future we could

give Topotecan or some other drug like

it to a kid with Angelman syndrome

maybe even a teenager maybe even

Louie and reverse the symptoms

What does that mean Will Louie lean

forward and say ldquoPass the salt pleaserdquo

Will he run and jump Will he dream

Maybe hersquoll tell us all the things that have

been bothering him all this time recount

all the conversations wersquove had in front of

him and the cusswords wersquove said to

other drivers while he has been in the

backseat sweetly smiling

Louie has lived 13 years in silence

coddled and catered to Oh wersquove

worked him hard taught him to sight-

read flashcards and communicate a bit

through signs and an iPAD Wersquove

dragged him to swim classes and hippo

therapy and every other technique that

showed any promise

Hersquos learned a lot all these years but

what about all the lessons hersquos

missed things he hasnrsquot learned or

understood playmates and friends

hersquos never had sports hersquos never

played Even in the most active

and conscientious family the life of

an intellectually disabled non-verbal

child is severely restricted

Thankfully smiling a lot and being

happy is another well-known

symptom of Angelman syndrome

Will a ldquocurerdquo cause Louie to be as

anxious and crabby and irritable as

the rest of us

Does it matter If Louie had been

born with no legs and a fantastic

medical team had invented a form of

artificial limbs that could be

permanently implanted we would

have jumped to get him a pair

If Louie had been born with half a

heart we would have sent him to a

hotshot surgeon to manufacture the

other half out of his own muscle and

tissue

If Louie had been born with the gene

for Huntingtonrsquos disease and a drug

was discovered that could stall the

inexorable brain deterioration

caused by the mutation we wouldnrsquot

hesitate to give it to him

Strangely people I know are having

a very hard time with the idea of

giving Louie a drug that might cure

his mental retardation Experts on

developmental disabilities squirm as

if I am suggesting that we cure

Louiersquos ethnicity Educators

continue to insist as they always

have that pushing Louie to learn

academic skills is a waste of time

Friends balk assuming that a brain

disorder canrsquot really be ldquocuredrdquo and

that I am living in a state of rose-

colored denial

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bedwith Padding and IV Accessories

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SleepSaferreg- High Bedoers the most safety protection with two removable safety rails

SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

SleepSafeBedcom

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in Multi-Color

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SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Angels in Action - Rylee age 9helliphelliphellip6

A Cure for Louiehelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip9

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM

Fat and the Human Brainhelliphelliphelliphelliphellip16

The History of Angelman Syndrome18

International Angelman Dayhelliphelliphelliphellip19

The Gift of Helplessnesshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip21

Angels in Action ndash Lukas age 15helliphellip24

Aromatherapy for Angelshelliphelliphelliphelliphellip28

LGIT (Low Glycemic Index Treatment)

Chocolate Help Milk

by Sybille Kraft Bellamyhelliphelliphelliphelliphellip32

Interview with Dr Thiberthelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip33

About the Low Glycemic Treatment

Angelman Syndrome and Sleephelliphellip38

Angels Week Offhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip40

Vacation Giveaway

Valentine Raspberry Moussehelliphelliphellip44

ABA ndash Applied Behavior Analysishelliphellip46

Whatrsquos inside

Angelman and Associated

Foundations

Angelman Portugal hellip10

The Angelman Syndrome

Foundationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip14

The Angelman Network ndash New

Zealandhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip20

THERAsurfhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip26

Angelman Syndrome Belgiumhellip27

Casa Angelman Argentinahelliphelliphellip30

Israeli Angelman Syndrome

Foundationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip31

Angelman Syndrome

Association Spainhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip35

Canadian Angelman Syndrome

Societyhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip37

Nina Foundationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip43

Angels Week Off

Vacation Giveaway 44

18

40

19

Cover

Maycol Buffet

3 yrs old AS

From Argentina

46

4

Potty Training Tips By Keisha Tipton Mom to Rylee age 9

Here is Ryleersquos data form that I use

-I simply mark the date and time that I

took her to the bathroom

-Then I place a checkmark whether she

went 1 or 2 in the potty

-In the comments section I write whether

her pull up was wet or dry

Date Time 1 2 Comments

When she stays dry for weeks on end I

switch her to panties

For traveling I still use Pull-ups There are

times she can even wear panties overnight as

long as she goes good before bed doesnrsquot

have too much to drink and has good seizure

control

When she starts having accidents it is a

possibility that she is losing seizure control

I hope this helps

Thank you Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwStriderBikescom

STRIDER is proud to support the special needs community by providing lightweight fun inclusive bikes

for kids of all abilities

As a parent who has been

injected into disability culture

through a loved one I feel we

also have a separate and unique

Angelman Syndrome culture

Our Angelman family is

accepting supportive and non-

judgmental a culture that we

are all proud of sharing with

one another Yes we have

trials and tribulations to

overcome but we are far from

alone in this journey We build

each other up with words of

encouragement and support

Each family goes through our

own experiences

Irsquod like to take a moment to

share with you our story A

story that is essentially just

beginning because I see an

optimistic future for Rylee

where before it hasnrsquot always

looked so bright

We all know those grim

feelings upon that dreaded

diagnosis and the instant

worries and fears we faced for

our children These feelings

fuel my fire for creating every

opportunity for Rylee to

succeed in life despite the

challenges she faces I refuse

to wallow in the sadness and

grief How can I when Rylee is

the most forgiving loving and

cheerful little girl We have a

life to live and I want her to

experience it all to the greatest

extent possible

Communication is a hurdle all

of our children face and without

it our lives are extremely

limited All of our kids have

incredible and intelligent

thoughts that are trapped inside

ldquoI want the world to hear

Ryleersquos thoughts and I

know she wants to share

them with the worldrdquo

We are just breaking the tip of

the iceberg with regard to

communication but just this is

more than I could have ever

imagined in those early days of

her diagnosis One of the most

important things I did as

Ryleersquos mother was erasing the

damage that ldquodisabilityrdquo label

caused Who was anyone to

say what my child was capable

of So many people have

thought I was crazy for

dreaming so big but I had

to ignore and persevere

When Rylee was seven I

decided to homeschool her

because of my goals and

aspirations for her life that

werenrsquot being met in her

previous school setting I

wanted an AAC system that

allowed her to share her true

thoughts and did not force

her to communicate what

the adults in her life wanted

her to communicate In my

opinion it is not true

communication when

communication is forced in

an unnatural environment

I wanted Rylee to learn to

read and write as that would

broaden her world even

more in the realm of

communication and

knowledge At the time I

was not certain exactly how

to go about it but I had to

try and going about it alone

was my only option

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Keisha Tipton Mom to Rylee age 9

I spent the first year primarily

focusing on her first full

language AAC system known

as PODD with the help of

others in our community In

other aspects to her education

I was still stuck in that

common special education

mentality which required

Rylee to prove she was

learning instead of presuming

it up front I needed to see

those check marks that I was

taught were so important I

explicitly taught her

lowercase letter sounds

through a modified version of

Discrete Trial Training

While she was good at it this

approach was not empowering

her as a learner It was

forcing her to prove her

competence and constantly

perform what I wanted her to

perform

I have since been introduced

to a whole new perspective

that aligns perfectly with my

teaching philosophy

I want to empower Rylee to

be a thinker a doer and an

active participant in her own

life and education Since

homeschooling her and

pulling her out of public

schools I have watched the

most beautiful transformation

in Rylee going from this

passive compliant

extrinsically motivated

product of special education

to someone whom is actively

seeking new information and

The educators in charge of

teaching our children only

know what they have been

taught through their own

education which primarily

focuses on those common

behavioral approaches (I know

because Irsquom currently

obtaining my Masters in

Special Education)

The only way we can change

the face of special education

and the way our children are

taught is to lead by example

being intrinsically motivated to

learn I feel like she is seeing

herself as a learner for the first

time in her life because I shifted

my focus on the messages I was

sending to her

I scrapped all behavioral

approaches and replaced them

with appropriate tools to bridge the

gap from what her biology limits

her from doing and what she needs

to be doing I removed all

demands on her performance and

began providing authentic

experiences for her to

learn and explore with these new

tools

I am not writing this to encourage

anyone to pull their children out of

public schools and start

homeschooling It is my goal in

writing this to show that there are

other perspectives to teaching our

children and empowering them as

individuals

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you

A Big Thanks to all of the contributors that help

bring you Angelman Today

Angelman Today Supporters

Sleep Safe Beds wwwsleepsafebedcom

Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

All of the Angelman

and Associated

Foundations

across the globe

Contributors Dr Ronald Thibert

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Keisha Tipton

Shari Caspert

Angela Humble Tucker

Regie and Yolanda Hamm

Betty Willemsen

Mark Mautone MA ABA

Terry Jo V Bichell -

MPH CNM and Parent

Angelman Today is a lifestyle guide to achieving better health for individuals with Angelman Syndrome and their families It is written with your needs in mind but is not a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health care providers The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions products or procedures that appear on this website or online magazine All matters regarding your health should be supervised by a licensed health care physician Copyright 2013 Angelman Today LLC All rights reserved worldwide

A Cure for Louie

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM (PhD candidate)

Nashville TN February 26 2012

I learned while traveling in Nigeria long

ago that the child who follows twins is

supposed to bring luck or be lucky or

carry some kind of amazing happy

blessing I remember thinking about

that luckiness when I saw Louiersquos

squished newborn face just after his

cord was cut

Louie was born in February 1999

sweet social and sleepless just like his

big sisters We didnrsquot learn until a year

later when we sought a reason for his

inability to sit up and crawl and babble

like all the other playgroup babies that

he was born without a crucial piece of

my 15th chromosome He was made

from a good sperm and a bad egg

Ironic considering that the last two of

his four older sisters had come from an

egg so lucky it split in half and made

gorgeous brilliant identical twins

The egg that made Louie had a tiny

chunk missing while the sperm was

perfectly intact The lack of that little

piece of maternal DNA specifically the

lack of one particular gene Ube3a

causes Angelman syndrome Since his

diagnosis I have dreamed of Ube3a

pondered Ube3a cursed Ube3a and

pleaded with Ube3a Why did that little

piece fall out Was it my Fourth of July

beer drinking in the month following his

conception Was it my bad behavior as

a high school and college student Was

it a karmic curse for selfish decisions as

a young adult Was it because my

parentsrsquo neighborhood in Texas had

been regularly sprayed with DDT Was

it because as good Christians assured

me unbidden our family could uniquely

handle a child with a severe disability

and we had been chosen for this task

by a higher power

It turns out that this section of the

human genome is just a weak spot in

our genetic code a chunk that is prone

to falling out or rearranging itself

These genes fall out before or during

conception without regard to age

substance abuse socio-economic

status race ethnicity religion or

sexual preference It is just bad luck

When Louie was diagnosed with

Angelman syndrome we were told

with variable sensitivity that he would

have severe epilepsy and severe

mental retardation now referred to as

an intellectual disability by ldquoPeople-

Firstrdquo terminology We were told that

he might never walk he might never

eat normally or toilet-train he would be

hyperactive sleepless and a danger to

himself during the long sleepless

nights With good care he would live a

normal lifespan and he would never

speak a word It seemed to my

husband and me to be pretty bad luck

Or was it My husband is a pediatric

heart surgeon and his patients are

babies born with only half a heart or

hearts with a missing piece or a

twisted section or a mismatched

middle Usually he fixes their

enormous cardiac bad luck and these

delicate babies come out of the ICU to

be pink and vibrant They grow up and

play sports and come back to visit and

shake his hand

I never doubted that there would also

be a way to fix the missing piece of

Louiersquos DNA

Louie was lucky to be born a mere 2

years after brilliant scientists

Art Beaudet and Joe Wagstaff had

identified maternal Ube3a as the

source of Angelman syndrome

They had also found that the normal

companion gene on the paternal

15th chromosome was turned off

as it is in everyone All of us leave

our fatherrsquos Ube3a to rest using

only our motherrsquos Ube3a to do what

needs to be done So Louie was

missing the Ube3a that I should

have given him and his fatherrsquos

Ube3a was just sitting there

perfectly good but dormant

It seemed possible plausible to be

able to get that paternal Ube3a off

the couch and into the kitchen All

we needed to do was turn it on

somehow and maybe Louie would

walk eat sleep well and speak

My husband and I used all our

medical wherewithal to help the

brilliant scientists move their ideas

about awakening the paternal gene

into clinical trials and real kids

Despite all the best efforts nothing

worked The paternal Ube3a

stayed a snooze I went back to

school at the age of 50 to join the

quest for the holy gene grail myself

as a PhD student in neuroscience

convinced that the cure lay almost

visible reachable just over the next

hump And it was In an amazing stroke of good fortune two young scientists Ed Weeber in Florida and Ben Philpot in North Carolina joined the fray and independently went to work on the problem In December 2011 right before the holidays both published papers

ANGEL ASSOCIACcedilAtildeO SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DE PORTUGAL

WWWFACEBOOKCOMANGELMANPT

CONTACTOSTLF96 8691906 (OPT)91 6474909 (TMN)96 6885700 (TMN)91 2448103 (VDF)

E-MAIL GERALANGELPT

WWWANGELPT

O SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DESCOBERTO EM MEADOS DA DEacuteCADA DE 60 PELO DR HARRY ANGELMAN O PEDIATRA INGLEcircS DE QUEM HERDOU O NOME Eacute UMA DOENCcedilA GENEacuteTICO-NEUROLOacuteGICA QUE SE ESTIMA QUE AFETE 1 EM CADA 15000 NASCIDOS VIVOS A CAUSA DESTE SIacuteNDROME Eacute NA MAIOR PARTE DOS CASOS A AUSEcircNCIA OU IMPERFEICcedilAtildeO DO CROMOSSOMA 15 (REGIAtildeO Q 11-13) HERDADO DA MAtildeE CARACTERIZA-SE ENTRE OUTROS PELO SEVERO ATRASO NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DIFICULDADE NA FALA DISTUacuteRBIOS NO SONO CONVULSOtildeES MOVIMENTOS DESCONEXOS E SORRISO FREQUENTE

The gentleman in North Carolina had

designed one of those simply beautiful

experiments that I can now appreciate

as a neuroscience student He used

dishes of cells from a genetically

engineered mouse that would glow

yellow only if the paternal Ube3a was

turned on Then he poured a selection

of 2000 known neuroactive medications

and compounds onto the cells and

waited to see which ones would glow I

imagine him grabbing the plate with one

yellow well from a naive undergraduate

student and shouting ldquoEurekardquo Or

maybe he simply figured it was a

mistake and sent the poor beleaguered

student back to the lab to repeat the

experiment until he was convinced by

the evidence Amazingly

unexpectedly one drug a brain cancer

drug Topotecan allowed the paternal

Ube3a to activate turning the cells

yellow Philpot had found a way to cure

Angelman syndrome The cure

But what does it mean to cure a person

with a developmental disability Hasnrsquot

the brain developed in an abnormal

way Many people with Angelman

syndrome have microcephaly small

heads Doesnrsquot that mean that their

brains havenrsquot grown enough Doesnrsquot

that mean that the disorder is

irreversible

Not necessarily It is a question of

structure versus function If the

Angelman brain is built differently than

the typical brain then a cure might be

farfetched Whole neural pathways

would have to be unwound and

rewound channels filled in and re-dug

branches built where none had reached

before Maybe not impossible to fix but

nigh

On the other hand if Angelman

syndrome is a synaptic disease and all

the neurons are there but

misconnecting like diplomats

without a translator then maybe a cure

could supply the missing ingredient and

the neurons would jump into action A

few days before Philpotrsquos research came

out just before Christmas 2011 Dr Ed

Weeber published a separate study on

another strain of adult Angelman mice

Weeber delivered the Ube3a gene into

the brains of these mice and Angelman

behaviors normalized Thatrsquos right Full-

grown mice with the mouse form of

Angelman syndrome get better when you

supply the gene they are missing So it

isnrsquot structural Itrsquos synaptic

Weeber showed that Angelman

syndrome can be reversed and Philpot

found the drug that can reverse it What

luck

Hold your breath There is no way to

know if the drug Philpot identified will

improve Angelman symptoms in humans

until we try it in humans But what all

this means is that it is possible that

sometime in the near future we could

give Topotecan or some other drug like

it to a kid with Angelman syndrome

maybe even a teenager maybe even

Louie and reverse the symptoms

What does that mean Will Louie lean

forward and say ldquoPass the salt pleaserdquo

Will he run and jump Will he dream

Maybe hersquoll tell us all the things that have

been bothering him all this time recount

all the conversations wersquove had in front of

him and the cusswords wersquove said to

other drivers while he has been in the

backseat sweetly smiling

Louie has lived 13 years in silence

coddled and catered to Oh wersquove

worked him hard taught him to sight-

read flashcards and communicate a bit

through signs and an iPAD Wersquove

dragged him to swim classes and hippo

therapy and every other technique that

showed any promise

Hersquos learned a lot all these years but

what about all the lessons hersquos

missed things he hasnrsquot learned or

understood playmates and friends

hersquos never had sports hersquos never

played Even in the most active

and conscientious family the life of

an intellectually disabled non-verbal

child is severely restricted

Thankfully smiling a lot and being

happy is another well-known

symptom of Angelman syndrome

Will a ldquocurerdquo cause Louie to be as

anxious and crabby and irritable as

the rest of us

Does it matter If Louie had been

born with no legs and a fantastic

medical team had invented a form of

artificial limbs that could be

permanently implanted we would

have jumped to get him a pair

If Louie had been born with half a

heart we would have sent him to a

hotshot surgeon to manufacture the

other half out of his own muscle and

tissue

If Louie had been born with the gene

for Huntingtonrsquos disease and a drug

was discovered that could stall the

inexorable brain deterioration

caused by the mutation we wouldnrsquot

hesitate to give it to him

Strangely people I know are having

a very hard time with the idea of

giving Louie a drug that might cure

his mental retardation Experts on

developmental disabilities squirm as

if I am suggesting that we cure

Louiersquos ethnicity Educators

continue to insist as they always

have that pushing Louie to learn

academic skills is a waste of time

Friends balk assuming that a brain

disorder canrsquot really be ldquocuredrdquo and

that I am living in a state of rose-

colored denial

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bedwith Padding and IV Accessories

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SleepSaferreg- High Bedoers the most safety protection with two removable safety rails

SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

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SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Potty Training Tips By Keisha Tipton Mom to Rylee age 9

Here is Ryleersquos data form that I use

-I simply mark the date and time that I

took her to the bathroom

-Then I place a checkmark whether she

went 1 or 2 in the potty

-In the comments section I write whether

her pull up was wet or dry

Date Time 1 2 Comments

When she stays dry for weeks on end I

switch her to panties

For traveling I still use Pull-ups There are

times she can even wear panties overnight as

long as she goes good before bed doesnrsquot

have too much to drink and has good seizure

control

When she starts having accidents it is a

possibility that she is losing seizure control

I hope this helps

Thank you Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwStriderBikescom

STRIDER is proud to support the special needs community by providing lightweight fun inclusive bikes

for kids of all abilities

As a parent who has been

injected into disability culture

through a loved one I feel we

also have a separate and unique

Angelman Syndrome culture

Our Angelman family is

accepting supportive and non-

judgmental a culture that we

are all proud of sharing with

one another Yes we have

trials and tribulations to

overcome but we are far from

alone in this journey We build

each other up with words of

encouragement and support

Each family goes through our

own experiences

Irsquod like to take a moment to

share with you our story A

story that is essentially just

beginning because I see an

optimistic future for Rylee

where before it hasnrsquot always

looked so bright

We all know those grim

feelings upon that dreaded

diagnosis and the instant

worries and fears we faced for

our children These feelings

fuel my fire for creating every

opportunity for Rylee to

succeed in life despite the

challenges she faces I refuse

to wallow in the sadness and

grief How can I when Rylee is

the most forgiving loving and

cheerful little girl We have a

life to live and I want her to

experience it all to the greatest

extent possible

Communication is a hurdle all

of our children face and without

it our lives are extremely

limited All of our kids have

incredible and intelligent

thoughts that are trapped inside

ldquoI want the world to hear

Ryleersquos thoughts and I

know she wants to share

them with the worldrdquo

We are just breaking the tip of

the iceberg with regard to

communication but just this is

more than I could have ever

imagined in those early days of

her diagnosis One of the most

important things I did as

Ryleersquos mother was erasing the

damage that ldquodisabilityrdquo label

caused Who was anyone to

say what my child was capable

of So many people have

thought I was crazy for

dreaming so big but I had

to ignore and persevere

When Rylee was seven I

decided to homeschool her

because of my goals and

aspirations for her life that

werenrsquot being met in her

previous school setting I

wanted an AAC system that

allowed her to share her true

thoughts and did not force

her to communicate what

the adults in her life wanted

her to communicate In my

opinion it is not true

communication when

communication is forced in

an unnatural environment

I wanted Rylee to learn to

read and write as that would

broaden her world even

more in the realm of

communication and

knowledge At the time I

was not certain exactly how

to go about it but I had to

try and going about it alone

was my only option

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Keisha Tipton Mom to Rylee age 9

I spent the first year primarily

focusing on her first full

language AAC system known

as PODD with the help of

others in our community In

other aspects to her education

I was still stuck in that

common special education

mentality which required

Rylee to prove she was

learning instead of presuming

it up front I needed to see

those check marks that I was

taught were so important I

explicitly taught her

lowercase letter sounds

through a modified version of

Discrete Trial Training

While she was good at it this

approach was not empowering

her as a learner It was

forcing her to prove her

competence and constantly

perform what I wanted her to

perform

I have since been introduced

to a whole new perspective

that aligns perfectly with my

teaching philosophy

I want to empower Rylee to

be a thinker a doer and an

active participant in her own

life and education Since

homeschooling her and

pulling her out of public

schools I have watched the

most beautiful transformation

in Rylee going from this

passive compliant

extrinsically motivated

product of special education

to someone whom is actively

seeking new information and

The educators in charge of

teaching our children only

know what they have been

taught through their own

education which primarily

focuses on those common

behavioral approaches (I know

because Irsquom currently

obtaining my Masters in

Special Education)

The only way we can change

the face of special education

and the way our children are

taught is to lead by example

being intrinsically motivated to

learn I feel like she is seeing

herself as a learner for the first

time in her life because I shifted

my focus on the messages I was

sending to her

I scrapped all behavioral

approaches and replaced them

with appropriate tools to bridge the

gap from what her biology limits

her from doing and what she needs

to be doing I removed all

demands on her performance and

began providing authentic

experiences for her to

learn and explore with these new

tools

I am not writing this to encourage

anyone to pull their children out of

public schools and start

homeschooling It is my goal in

writing this to show that there are

other perspectives to teaching our

children and empowering them as

individuals

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you

A Big Thanks to all of the contributors that help

bring you Angelman Today

Angelman Today Supporters

Sleep Safe Beds wwwsleepsafebedcom

Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

All of the Angelman

and Associated

Foundations

across the globe

Contributors Dr Ronald Thibert

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Keisha Tipton

Shari Caspert

Angela Humble Tucker

Regie and Yolanda Hamm

Betty Willemsen

Mark Mautone MA ABA

Terry Jo V Bichell -

MPH CNM and Parent

Angelman Today is a lifestyle guide to achieving better health for individuals with Angelman Syndrome and their families It is written with your needs in mind but is not a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health care providers The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions products or procedures that appear on this website or online magazine All matters regarding your health should be supervised by a licensed health care physician Copyright 2013 Angelman Today LLC All rights reserved worldwide

A Cure for Louie

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM (PhD candidate)

Nashville TN February 26 2012

I learned while traveling in Nigeria long

ago that the child who follows twins is

supposed to bring luck or be lucky or

carry some kind of amazing happy

blessing I remember thinking about

that luckiness when I saw Louiersquos

squished newborn face just after his

cord was cut

Louie was born in February 1999

sweet social and sleepless just like his

big sisters We didnrsquot learn until a year

later when we sought a reason for his

inability to sit up and crawl and babble

like all the other playgroup babies that

he was born without a crucial piece of

my 15th chromosome He was made

from a good sperm and a bad egg

Ironic considering that the last two of

his four older sisters had come from an

egg so lucky it split in half and made

gorgeous brilliant identical twins

The egg that made Louie had a tiny

chunk missing while the sperm was

perfectly intact The lack of that little

piece of maternal DNA specifically the

lack of one particular gene Ube3a

causes Angelman syndrome Since his

diagnosis I have dreamed of Ube3a

pondered Ube3a cursed Ube3a and

pleaded with Ube3a Why did that little

piece fall out Was it my Fourth of July

beer drinking in the month following his

conception Was it my bad behavior as

a high school and college student Was

it a karmic curse for selfish decisions as

a young adult Was it because my

parentsrsquo neighborhood in Texas had

been regularly sprayed with DDT Was

it because as good Christians assured

me unbidden our family could uniquely

handle a child with a severe disability

and we had been chosen for this task

by a higher power

It turns out that this section of the

human genome is just a weak spot in

our genetic code a chunk that is prone

to falling out or rearranging itself

These genes fall out before or during

conception without regard to age

substance abuse socio-economic

status race ethnicity religion or

sexual preference It is just bad luck

When Louie was diagnosed with

Angelman syndrome we were told

with variable sensitivity that he would

have severe epilepsy and severe

mental retardation now referred to as

an intellectual disability by ldquoPeople-

Firstrdquo terminology We were told that

he might never walk he might never

eat normally or toilet-train he would be

hyperactive sleepless and a danger to

himself during the long sleepless

nights With good care he would live a

normal lifespan and he would never

speak a word It seemed to my

husband and me to be pretty bad luck

Or was it My husband is a pediatric

heart surgeon and his patients are

babies born with only half a heart or

hearts with a missing piece or a

twisted section or a mismatched

middle Usually he fixes their

enormous cardiac bad luck and these

delicate babies come out of the ICU to

be pink and vibrant They grow up and

play sports and come back to visit and

shake his hand

I never doubted that there would also

be a way to fix the missing piece of

Louiersquos DNA

Louie was lucky to be born a mere 2

years after brilliant scientists

Art Beaudet and Joe Wagstaff had

identified maternal Ube3a as the

source of Angelman syndrome

They had also found that the normal

companion gene on the paternal

15th chromosome was turned off

as it is in everyone All of us leave

our fatherrsquos Ube3a to rest using

only our motherrsquos Ube3a to do what

needs to be done So Louie was

missing the Ube3a that I should

have given him and his fatherrsquos

Ube3a was just sitting there

perfectly good but dormant

It seemed possible plausible to be

able to get that paternal Ube3a off

the couch and into the kitchen All

we needed to do was turn it on

somehow and maybe Louie would

walk eat sleep well and speak

My husband and I used all our

medical wherewithal to help the

brilliant scientists move their ideas

about awakening the paternal gene

into clinical trials and real kids

Despite all the best efforts nothing

worked The paternal Ube3a

stayed a snooze I went back to

school at the age of 50 to join the

quest for the holy gene grail myself

as a PhD student in neuroscience

convinced that the cure lay almost

visible reachable just over the next

hump And it was In an amazing stroke of good fortune two young scientists Ed Weeber in Florida and Ben Philpot in North Carolina joined the fray and independently went to work on the problem In December 2011 right before the holidays both published papers

ANGEL ASSOCIACcedilAtildeO SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DE PORTUGAL

WWWFACEBOOKCOMANGELMANPT

CONTACTOSTLF96 8691906 (OPT)91 6474909 (TMN)96 6885700 (TMN)91 2448103 (VDF)

E-MAIL GERALANGELPT

WWWANGELPT

O SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DESCOBERTO EM MEADOS DA DEacuteCADA DE 60 PELO DR HARRY ANGELMAN O PEDIATRA INGLEcircS DE QUEM HERDOU O NOME Eacute UMA DOENCcedilA GENEacuteTICO-NEUROLOacuteGICA QUE SE ESTIMA QUE AFETE 1 EM CADA 15000 NASCIDOS VIVOS A CAUSA DESTE SIacuteNDROME Eacute NA MAIOR PARTE DOS CASOS A AUSEcircNCIA OU IMPERFEICcedilAtildeO DO CROMOSSOMA 15 (REGIAtildeO Q 11-13) HERDADO DA MAtildeE CARACTERIZA-SE ENTRE OUTROS PELO SEVERO ATRASO NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DIFICULDADE NA FALA DISTUacuteRBIOS NO SONO CONVULSOtildeES MOVIMENTOS DESCONEXOS E SORRISO FREQUENTE

The gentleman in North Carolina had

designed one of those simply beautiful

experiments that I can now appreciate

as a neuroscience student He used

dishes of cells from a genetically

engineered mouse that would glow

yellow only if the paternal Ube3a was

turned on Then he poured a selection

of 2000 known neuroactive medications

and compounds onto the cells and

waited to see which ones would glow I

imagine him grabbing the plate with one

yellow well from a naive undergraduate

student and shouting ldquoEurekardquo Or

maybe he simply figured it was a

mistake and sent the poor beleaguered

student back to the lab to repeat the

experiment until he was convinced by

the evidence Amazingly

unexpectedly one drug a brain cancer

drug Topotecan allowed the paternal

Ube3a to activate turning the cells

yellow Philpot had found a way to cure

Angelman syndrome The cure

But what does it mean to cure a person

with a developmental disability Hasnrsquot

the brain developed in an abnormal

way Many people with Angelman

syndrome have microcephaly small

heads Doesnrsquot that mean that their

brains havenrsquot grown enough Doesnrsquot

that mean that the disorder is

irreversible

Not necessarily It is a question of

structure versus function If the

Angelman brain is built differently than

the typical brain then a cure might be

farfetched Whole neural pathways

would have to be unwound and

rewound channels filled in and re-dug

branches built where none had reached

before Maybe not impossible to fix but

nigh

On the other hand if Angelman

syndrome is a synaptic disease and all

the neurons are there but

misconnecting like diplomats

without a translator then maybe a cure

could supply the missing ingredient and

the neurons would jump into action A

few days before Philpotrsquos research came

out just before Christmas 2011 Dr Ed

Weeber published a separate study on

another strain of adult Angelman mice

Weeber delivered the Ube3a gene into

the brains of these mice and Angelman

behaviors normalized Thatrsquos right Full-

grown mice with the mouse form of

Angelman syndrome get better when you

supply the gene they are missing So it

isnrsquot structural Itrsquos synaptic

Weeber showed that Angelman

syndrome can be reversed and Philpot

found the drug that can reverse it What

luck

Hold your breath There is no way to

know if the drug Philpot identified will

improve Angelman symptoms in humans

until we try it in humans But what all

this means is that it is possible that

sometime in the near future we could

give Topotecan or some other drug like

it to a kid with Angelman syndrome

maybe even a teenager maybe even

Louie and reverse the symptoms

What does that mean Will Louie lean

forward and say ldquoPass the salt pleaserdquo

Will he run and jump Will he dream

Maybe hersquoll tell us all the things that have

been bothering him all this time recount

all the conversations wersquove had in front of

him and the cusswords wersquove said to

other drivers while he has been in the

backseat sweetly smiling

Louie has lived 13 years in silence

coddled and catered to Oh wersquove

worked him hard taught him to sight-

read flashcards and communicate a bit

through signs and an iPAD Wersquove

dragged him to swim classes and hippo

therapy and every other technique that

showed any promise

Hersquos learned a lot all these years but

what about all the lessons hersquos

missed things he hasnrsquot learned or

understood playmates and friends

hersquos never had sports hersquos never

played Even in the most active

and conscientious family the life of

an intellectually disabled non-verbal

child is severely restricted

Thankfully smiling a lot and being

happy is another well-known

symptom of Angelman syndrome

Will a ldquocurerdquo cause Louie to be as

anxious and crabby and irritable as

the rest of us

Does it matter If Louie had been

born with no legs and a fantastic

medical team had invented a form of

artificial limbs that could be

permanently implanted we would

have jumped to get him a pair

If Louie had been born with half a

heart we would have sent him to a

hotshot surgeon to manufacture the

other half out of his own muscle and

tissue

If Louie had been born with the gene

for Huntingtonrsquos disease and a drug

was discovered that could stall the

inexorable brain deterioration

caused by the mutation we wouldnrsquot

hesitate to give it to him

Strangely people I know are having

a very hard time with the idea of

giving Louie a drug that might cure

his mental retardation Experts on

developmental disabilities squirm as

if I am suggesting that we cure

Louiersquos ethnicity Educators

continue to insist as they always

have that pushing Louie to learn

academic skills is a waste of time

Friends balk assuming that a brain

disorder canrsquot really be ldquocuredrdquo and

that I am living in a state of rose-

colored denial

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

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SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

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SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

wwwStriderBikescom

STRIDER is proud to support the special needs community by providing lightweight fun inclusive bikes

for kids of all abilities

As a parent who has been

injected into disability culture

through a loved one I feel we

also have a separate and unique

Angelman Syndrome culture

Our Angelman family is

accepting supportive and non-

judgmental a culture that we

are all proud of sharing with

one another Yes we have

trials and tribulations to

overcome but we are far from

alone in this journey We build

each other up with words of

encouragement and support

Each family goes through our

own experiences

Irsquod like to take a moment to

share with you our story A

story that is essentially just

beginning because I see an

optimistic future for Rylee

where before it hasnrsquot always

looked so bright

We all know those grim

feelings upon that dreaded

diagnosis and the instant

worries and fears we faced for

our children These feelings

fuel my fire for creating every

opportunity for Rylee to

succeed in life despite the

challenges she faces I refuse

to wallow in the sadness and

grief How can I when Rylee is

the most forgiving loving and

cheerful little girl We have a

life to live and I want her to

experience it all to the greatest

extent possible

Communication is a hurdle all

of our children face and without

it our lives are extremely

limited All of our kids have

incredible and intelligent

thoughts that are trapped inside

ldquoI want the world to hear

Ryleersquos thoughts and I

know she wants to share

them with the worldrdquo

We are just breaking the tip of

the iceberg with regard to

communication but just this is

more than I could have ever

imagined in those early days of

her diagnosis One of the most

important things I did as

Ryleersquos mother was erasing the

damage that ldquodisabilityrdquo label

caused Who was anyone to

say what my child was capable

of So many people have

thought I was crazy for

dreaming so big but I had

to ignore and persevere

When Rylee was seven I

decided to homeschool her

because of my goals and

aspirations for her life that

werenrsquot being met in her

previous school setting I

wanted an AAC system that

allowed her to share her true

thoughts and did not force

her to communicate what

the adults in her life wanted

her to communicate In my

opinion it is not true

communication when

communication is forced in

an unnatural environment

I wanted Rylee to learn to

read and write as that would

broaden her world even

more in the realm of

communication and

knowledge At the time I

was not certain exactly how

to go about it but I had to

try and going about it alone

was my only option

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Keisha Tipton Mom to Rylee age 9

I spent the first year primarily

focusing on her first full

language AAC system known

as PODD with the help of

others in our community In

other aspects to her education

I was still stuck in that

common special education

mentality which required

Rylee to prove she was

learning instead of presuming

it up front I needed to see

those check marks that I was

taught were so important I

explicitly taught her

lowercase letter sounds

through a modified version of

Discrete Trial Training

While she was good at it this

approach was not empowering

her as a learner It was

forcing her to prove her

competence and constantly

perform what I wanted her to

perform

I have since been introduced

to a whole new perspective

that aligns perfectly with my

teaching philosophy

I want to empower Rylee to

be a thinker a doer and an

active participant in her own

life and education Since

homeschooling her and

pulling her out of public

schools I have watched the

most beautiful transformation

in Rylee going from this

passive compliant

extrinsically motivated

product of special education

to someone whom is actively

seeking new information and

The educators in charge of

teaching our children only

know what they have been

taught through their own

education which primarily

focuses on those common

behavioral approaches (I know

because Irsquom currently

obtaining my Masters in

Special Education)

The only way we can change

the face of special education

and the way our children are

taught is to lead by example

being intrinsically motivated to

learn I feel like she is seeing

herself as a learner for the first

time in her life because I shifted

my focus on the messages I was

sending to her

I scrapped all behavioral

approaches and replaced them

with appropriate tools to bridge the

gap from what her biology limits

her from doing and what she needs

to be doing I removed all

demands on her performance and

began providing authentic

experiences for her to

learn and explore with these new

tools

I am not writing this to encourage

anyone to pull their children out of

public schools and start

homeschooling It is my goal in

writing this to show that there are

other perspectives to teaching our

children and empowering them as

individuals

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you

A Big Thanks to all of the contributors that help

bring you Angelman Today

Angelman Today Supporters

Sleep Safe Beds wwwsleepsafebedcom

Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

All of the Angelman

and Associated

Foundations

across the globe

Contributors Dr Ronald Thibert

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Keisha Tipton

Shari Caspert

Angela Humble Tucker

Regie and Yolanda Hamm

Betty Willemsen

Mark Mautone MA ABA

Terry Jo V Bichell -

MPH CNM and Parent

Angelman Today is a lifestyle guide to achieving better health for individuals with Angelman Syndrome and their families It is written with your needs in mind but is not a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health care providers The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions products or procedures that appear on this website or online magazine All matters regarding your health should be supervised by a licensed health care physician Copyright 2013 Angelman Today LLC All rights reserved worldwide

A Cure for Louie

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM (PhD candidate)

Nashville TN February 26 2012

I learned while traveling in Nigeria long

ago that the child who follows twins is

supposed to bring luck or be lucky or

carry some kind of amazing happy

blessing I remember thinking about

that luckiness when I saw Louiersquos

squished newborn face just after his

cord was cut

Louie was born in February 1999

sweet social and sleepless just like his

big sisters We didnrsquot learn until a year

later when we sought a reason for his

inability to sit up and crawl and babble

like all the other playgroup babies that

he was born without a crucial piece of

my 15th chromosome He was made

from a good sperm and a bad egg

Ironic considering that the last two of

his four older sisters had come from an

egg so lucky it split in half and made

gorgeous brilliant identical twins

The egg that made Louie had a tiny

chunk missing while the sperm was

perfectly intact The lack of that little

piece of maternal DNA specifically the

lack of one particular gene Ube3a

causes Angelman syndrome Since his

diagnosis I have dreamed of Ube3a

pondered Ube3a cursed Ube3a and

pleaded with Ube3a Why did that little

piece fall out Was it my Fourth of July

beer drinking in the month following his

conception Was it my bad behavior as

a high school and college student Was

it a karmic curse for selfish decisions as

a young adult Was it because my

parentsrsquo neighborhood in Texas had

been regularly sprayed with DDT Was

it because as good Christians assured

me unbidden our family could uniquely

handle a child with a severe disability

and we had been chosen for this task

by a higher power

It turns out that this section of the

human genome is just a weak spot in

our genetic code a chunk that is prone

to falling out or rearranging itself

These genes fall out before or during

conception without regard to age

substance abuse socio-economic

status race ethnicity religion or

sexual preference It is just bad luck

When Louie was diagnosed with

Angelman syndrome we were told

with variable sensitivity that he would

have severe epilepsy and severe

mental retardation now referred to as

an intellectual disability by ldquoPeople-

Firstrdquo terminology We were told that

he might never walk he might never

eat normally or toilet-train he would be

hyperactive sleepless and a danger to

himself during the long sleepless

nights With good care he would live a

normal lifespan and he would never

speak a word It seemed to my

husband and me to be pretty bad luck

Or was it My husband is a pediatric

heart surgeon and his patients are

babies born with only half a heart or

hearts with a missing piece or a

twisted section or a mismatched

middle Usually he fixes their

enormous cardiac bad luck and these

delicate babies come out of the ICU to

be pink and vibrant They grow up and

play sports and come back to visit and

shake his hand

I never doubted that there would also

be a way to fix the missing piece of

Louiersquos DNA

Louie was lucky to be born a mere 2

years after brilliant scientists

Art Beaudet and Joe Wagstaff had

identified maternal Ube3a as the

source of Angelman syndrome

They had also found that the normal

companion gene on the paternal

15th chromosome was turned off

as it is in everyone All of us leave

our fatherrsquos Ube3a to rest using

only our motherrsquos Ube3a to do what

needs to be done So Louie was

missing the Ube3a that I should

have given him and his fatherrsquos

Ube3a was just sitting there

perfectly good but dormant

It seemed possible plausible to be

able to get that paternal Ube3a off

the couch and into the kitchen All

we needed to do was turn it on

somehow and maybe Louie would

walk eat sleep well and speak

My husband and I used all our

medical wherewithal to help the

brilliant scientists move their ideas

about awakening the paternal gene

into clinical trials and real kids

Despite all the best efforts nothing

worked The paternal Ube3a

stayed a snooze I went back to

school at the age of 50 to join the

quest for the holy gene grail myself

as a PhD student in neuroscience

convinced that the cure lay almost

visible reachable just over the next

hump And it was In an amazing stroke of good fortune two young scientists Ed Weeber in Florida and Ben Philpot in North Carolina joined the fray and independently went to work on the problem In December 2011 right before the holidays both published papers

ANGEL ASSOCIACcedilAtildeO SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DE PORTUGAL

WWWFACEBOOKCOMANGELMANPT

CONTACTOSTLF96 8691906 (OPT)91 6474909 (TMN)96 6885700 (TMN)91 2448103 (VDF)

E-MAIL GERALANGELPT

WWWANGELPT

O SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DESCOBERTO EM MEADOS DA DEacuteCADA DE 60 PELO DR HARRY ANGELMAN O PEDIATRA INGLEcircS DE QUEM HERDOU O NOME Eacute UMA DOENCcedilA GENEacuteTICO-NEUROLOacuteGICA QUE SE ESTIMA QUE AFETE 1 EM CADA 15000 NASCIDOS VIVOS A CAUSA DESTE SIacuteNDROME Eacute NA MAIOR PARTE DOS CASOS A AUSEcircNCIA OU IMPERFEICcedilAtildeO DO CROMOSSOMA 15 (REGIAtildeO Q 11-13) HERDADO DA MAtildeE CARACTERIZA-SE ENTRE OUTROS PELO SEVERO ATRASO NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DIFICULDADE NA FALA DISTUacuteRBIOS NO SONO CONVULSOtildeES MOVIMENTOS DESCONEXOS E SORRISO FREQUENTE

The gentleman in North Carolina had

designed one of those simply beautiful

experiments that I can now appreciate

as a neuroscience student He used

dishes of cells from a genetically

engineered mouse that would glow

yellow only if the paternal Ube3a was

turned on Then he poured a selection

of 2000 known neuroactive medications

and compounds onto the cells and

waited to see which ones would glow I

imagine him grabbing the plate with one

yellow well from a naive undergraduate

student and shouting ldquoEurekardquo Or

maybe he simply figured it was a

mistake and sent the poor beleaguered

student back to the lab to repeat the

experiment until he was convinced by

the evidence Amazingly

unexpectedly one drug a brain cancer

drug Topotecan allowed the paternal

Ube3a to activate turning the cells

yellow Philpot had found a way to cure

Angelman syndrome The cure

But what does it mean to cure a person

with a developmental disability Hasnrsquot

the brain developed in an abnormal

way Many people with Angelman

syndrome have microcephaly small

heads Doesnrsquot that mean that their

brains havenrsquot grown enough Doesnrsquot

that mean that the disorder is

irreversible

Not necessarily It is a question of

structure versus function If the

Angelman brain is built differently than

the typical brain then a cure might be

farfetched Whole neural pathways

would have to be unwound and

rewound channels filled in and re-dug

branches built where none had reached

before Maybe not impossible to fix but

nigh

On the other hand if Angelman

syndrome is a synaptic disease and all

the neurons are there but

misconnecting like diplomats

without a translator then maybe a cure

could supply the missing ingredient and

the neurons would jump into action A

few days before Philpotrsquos research came

out just before Christmas 2011 Dr Ed

Weeber published a separate study on

another strain of adult Angelman mice

Weeber delivered the Ube3a gene into

the brains of these mice and Angelman

behaviors normalized Thatrsquos right Full-

grown mice with the mouse form of

Angelman syndrome get better when you

supply the gene they are missing So it

isnrsquot structural Itrsquos synaptic

Weeber showed that Angelman

syndrome can be reversed and Philpot

found the drug that can reverse it What

luck

Hold your breath There is no way to

know if the drug Philpot identified will

improve Angelman symptoms in humans

until we try it in humans But what all

this means is that it is possible that

sometime in the near future we could

give Topotecan or some other drug like

it to a kid with Angelman syndrome

maybe even a teenager maybe even

Louie and reverse the symptoms

What does that mean Will Louie lean

forward and say ldquoPass the salt pleaserdquo

Will he run and jump Will he dream

Maybe hersquoll tell us all the things that have

been bothering him all this time recount

all the conversations wersquove had in front of

him and the cusswords wersquove said to

other drivers while he has been in the

backseat sweetly smiling

Louie has lived 13 years in silence

coddled and catered to Oh wersquove

worked him hard taught him to sight-

read flashcards and communicate a bit

through signs and an iPAD Wersquove

dragged him to swim classes and hippo

therapy and every other technique that

showed any promise

Hersquos learned a lot all these years but

what about all the lessons hersquos

missed things he hasnrsquot learned or

understood playmates and friends

hersquos never had sports hersquos never

played Even in the most active

and conscientious family the life of

an intellectually disabled non-verbal

child is severely restricted

Thankfully smiling a lot and being

happy is another well-known

symptom of Angelman syndrome

Will a ldquocurerdquo cause Louie to be as

anxious and crabby and irritable as

the rest of us

Does it matter If Louie had been

born with no legs and a fantastic

medical team had invented a form of

artificial limbs that could be

permanently implanted we would

have jumped to get him a pair

If Louie had been born with half a

heart we would have sent him to a

hotshot surgeon to manufacture the

other half out of his own muscle and

tissue

If Louie had been born with the gene

for Huntingtonrsquos disease and a drug

was discovered that could stall the

inexorable brain deterioration

caused by the mutation we wouldnrsquot

hesitate to give it to him

Strangely people I know are having

a very hard time with the idea of

giving Louie a drug that might cure

his mental retardation Experts on

developmental disabilities squirm as

if I am suggesting that we cure

Louiersquos ethnicity Educators

continue to insist as they always

have that pushing Louie to learn

academic skills is a waste of time

Friends balk assuming that a brain

disorder canrsquot really be ldquocuredrdquo and

that I am living in a state of rose-

colored denial

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bedwith Padding and IV Accessories

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SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

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SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in Multi-Color

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SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

As a parent who has been

injected into disability culture

through a loved one I feel we

also have a separate and unique

Angelman Syndrome culture

Our Angelman family is

accepting supportive and non-

judgmental a culture that we

are all proud of sharing with

one another Yes we have

trials and tribulations to

overcome but we are far from

alone in this journey We build

each other up with words of

encouragement and support

Each family goes through our

own experiences

Irsquod like to take a moment to

share with you our story A

story that is essentially just

beginning because I see an

optimistic future for Rylee

where before it hasnrsquot always

looked so bright

We all know those grim

feelings upon that dreaded

diagnosis and the instant

worries and fears we faced for

our children These feelings

fuel my fire for creating every

opportunity for Rylee to

succeed in life despite the

challenges she faces I refuse

to wallow in the sadness and

grief How can I when Rylee is

the most forgiving loving and

cheerful little girl We have a

life to live and I want her to

experience it all to the greatest

extent possible

Communication is a hurdle all

of our children face and without

it our lives are extremely

limited All of our kids have

incredible and intelligent

thoughts that are trapped inside

ldquoI want the world to hear

Ryleersquos thoughts and I

know she wants to share

them with the worldrdquo

We are just breaking the tip of

the iceberg with regard to

communication but just this is

more than I could have ever

imagined in those early days of

her diagnosis One of the most

important things I did as

Ryleersquos mother was erasing the

damage that ldquodisabilityrdquo label

caused Who was anyone to

say what my child was capable

of So many people have

thought I was crazy for

dreaming so big but I had

to ignore and persevere

When Rylee was seven I

decided to homeschool her

because of my goals and

aspirations for her life that

werenrsquot being met in her

previous school setting I

wanted an AAC system that

allowed her to share her true

thoughts and did not force

her to communicate what

the adults in her life wanted

her to communicate In my

opinion it is not true

communication when

communication is forced in

an unnatural environment

I wanted Rylee to learn to

read and write as that would

broaden her world even

more in the realm of

communication and

knowledge At the time I

was not certain exactly how

to go about it but I had to

try and going about it alone

was my only option

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Keisha Tipton Mom to Rylee age 9

I spent the first year primarily

focusing on her first full

language AAC system known

as PODD with the help of

others in our community In

other aspects to her education

I was still stuck in that

common special education

mentality which required

Rylee to prove she was

learning instead of presuming

it up front I needed to see

those check marks that I was

taught were so important I

explicitly taught her

lowercase letter sounds

through a modified version of

Discrete Trial Training

While she was good at it this

approach was not empowering

her as a learner It was

forcing her to prove her

competence and constantly

perform what I wanted her to

perform

I have since been introduced

to a whole new perspective

that aligns perfectly with my

teaching philosophy

I want to empower Rylee to

be a thinker a doer and an

active participant in her own

life and education Since

homeschooling her and

pulling her out of public

schools I have watched the

most beautiful transformation

in Rylee going from this

passive compliant

extrinsically motivated

product of special education

to someone whom is actively

seeking new information and

The educators in charge of

teaching our children only

know what they have been

taught through their own

education which primarily

focuses on those common

behavioral approaches (I know

because Irsquom currently

obtaining my Masters in

Special Education)

The only way we can change

the face of special education

and the way our children are

taught is to lead by example

being intrinsically motivated to

learn I feel like she is seeing

herself as a learner for the first

time in her life because I shifted

my focus on the messages I was

sending to her

I scrapped all behavioral

approaches and replaced them

with appropriate tools to bridge the

gap from what her biology limits

her from doing and what she needs

to be doing I removed all

demands on her performance and

began providing authentic

experiences for her to

learn and explore with these new

tools

I am not writing this to encourage

anyone to pull their children out of

public schools and start

homeschooling It is my goal in

writing this to show that there are

other perspectives to teaching our

children and empowering them as

individuals

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you

A Big Thanks to all of the contributors that help

bring you Angelman Today

Angelman Today Supporters

Sleep Safe Beds wwwsleepsafebedcom

Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

All of the Angelman

and Associated

Foundations

across the globe

Contributors Dr Ronald Thibert

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Keisha Tipton

Shari Caspert

Angela Humble Tucker

Regie and Yolanda Hamm

Betty Willemsen

Mark Mautone MA ABA

Terry Jo V Bichell -

MPH CNM and Parent

Angelman Today is a lifestyle guide to achieving better health for individuals with Angelman Syndrome and their families It is written with your needs in mind but is not a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health care providers The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions products or procedures that appear on this website or online magazine All matters regarding your health should be supervised by a licensed health care physician Copyright 2013 Angelman Today LLC All rights reserved worldwide

A Cure for Louie

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM (PhD candidate)

Nashville TN February 26 2012

I learned while traveling in Nigeria long

ago that the child who follows twins is

supposed to bring luck or be lucky or

carry some kind of amazing happy

blessing I remember thinking about

that luckiness when I saw Louiersquos

squished newborn face just after his

cord was cut

Louie was born in February 1999

sweet social and sleepless just like his

big sisters We didnrsquot learn until a year

later when we sought a reason for his

inability to sit up and crawl and babble

like all the other playgroup babies that

he was born without a crucial piece of

my 15th chromosome He was made

from a good sperm and a bad egg

Ironic considering that the last two of

his four older sisters had come from an

egg so lucky it split in half and made

gorgeous brilliant identical twins

The egg that made Louie had a tiny

chunk missing while the sperm was

perfectly intact The lack of that little

piece of maternal DNA specifically the

lack of one particular gene Ube3a

causes Angelman syndrome Since his

diagnosis I have dreamed of Ube3a

pondered Ube3a cursed Ube3a and

pleaded with Ube3a Why did that little

piece fall out Was it my Fourth of July

beer drinking in the month following his

conception Was it my bad behavior as

a high school and college student Was

it a karmic curse for selfish decisions as

a young adult Was it because my

parentsrsquo neighborhood in Texas had

been regularly sprayed with DDT Was

it because as good Christians assured

me unbidden our family could uniquely

handle a child with a severe disability

and we had been chosen for this task

by a higher power

It turns out that this section of the

human genome is just a weak spot in

our genetic code a chunk that is prone

to falling out or rearranging itself

These genes fall out before or during

conception without regard to age

substance abuse socio-economic

status race ethnicity religion or

sexual preference It is just bad luck

When Louie was diagnosed with

Angelman syndrome we were told

with variable sensitivity that he would

have severe epilepsy and severe

mental retardation now referred to as

an intellectual disability by ldquoPeople-

Firstrdquo terminology We were told that

he might never walk he might never

eat normally or toilet-train he would be

hyperactive sleepless and a danger to

himself during the long sleepless

nights With good care he would live a

normal lifespan and he would never

speak a word It seemed to my

husband and me to be pretty bad luck

Or was it My husband is a pediatric

heart surgeon and his patients are

babies born with only half a heart or

hearts with a missing piece or a

twisted section or a mismatched

middle Usually he fixes their

enormous cardiac bad luck and these

delicate babies come out of the ICU to

be pink and vibrant They grow up and

play sports and come back to visit and

shake his hand

I never doubted that there would also

be a way to fix the missing piece of

Louiersquos DNA

Louie was lucky to be born a mere 2

years after brilliant scientists

Art Beaudet and Joe Wagstaff had

identified maternal Ube3a as the

source of Angelman syndrome

They had also found that the normal

companion gene on the paternal

15th chromosome was turned off

as it is in everyone All of us leave

our fatherrsquos Ube3a to rest using

only our motherrsquos Ube3a to do what

needs to be done So Louie was

missing the Ube3a that I should

have given him and his fatherrsquos

Ube3a was just sitting there

perfectly good but dormant

It seemed possible plausible to be

able to get that paternal Ube3a off

the couch and into the kitchen All

we needed to do was turn it on

somehow and maybe Louie would

walk eat sleep well and speak

My husband and I used all our

medical wherewithal to help the

brilliant scientists move their ideas

about awakening the paternal gene

into clinical trials and real kids

Despite all the best efforts nothing

worked The paternal Ube3a

stayed a snooze I went back to

school at the age of 50 to join the

quest for the holy gene grail myself

as a PhD student in neuroscience

convinced that the cure lay almost

visible reachable just over the next

hump And it was In an amazing stroke of good fortune two young scientists Ed Weeber in Florida and Ben Philpot in North Carolina joined the fray and independently went to work on the problem In December 2011 right before the holidays both published papers

ANGEL ASSOCIACcedilAtildeO SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DE PORTUGAL

WWWFACEBOOKCOMANGELMANPT

CONTACTOSTLF96 8691906 (OPT)91 6474909 (TMN)96 6885700 (TMN)91 2448103 (VDF)

E-MAIL GERALANGELPT

WWWANGELPT

O SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DESCOBERTO EM MEADOS DA DEacuteCADA DE 60 PELO DR HARRY ANGELMAN O PEDIATRA INGLEcircS DE QUEM HERDOU O NOME Eacute UMA DOENCcedilA GENEacuteTICO-NEUROLOacuteGICA QUE SE ESTIMA QUE AFETE 1 EM CADA 15000 NASCIDOS VIVOS A CAUSA DESTE SIacuteNDROME Eacute NA MAIOR PARTE DOS CASOS A AUSEcircNCIA OU IMPERFEICcedilAtildeO DO CROMOSSOMA 15 (REGIAtildeO Q 11-13) HERDADO DA MAtildeE CARACTERIZA-SE ENTRE OUTROS PELO SEVERO ATRASO NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DIFICULDADE NA FALA DISTUacuteRBIOS NO SONO CONVULSOtildeES MOVIMENTOS DESCONEXOS E SORRISO FREQUENTE

The gentleman in North Carolina had

designed one of those simply beautiful

experiments that I can now appreciate

as a neuroscience student He used

dishes of cells from a genetically

engineered mouse that would glow

yellow only if the paternal Ube3a was

turned on Then he poured a selection

of 2000 known neuroactive medications

and compounds onto the cells and

waited to see which ones would glow I

imagine him grabbing the plate with one

yellow well from a naive undergraduate

student and shouting ldquoEurekardquo Or

maybe he simply figured it was a

mistake and sent the poor beleaguered

student back to the lab to repeat the

experiment until he was convinced by

the evidence Amazingly

unexpectedly one drug a brain cancer

drug Topotecan allowed the paternal

Ube3a to activate turning the cells

yellow Philpot had found a way to cure

Angelman syndrome The cure

But what does it mean to cure a person

with a developmental disability Hasnrsquot

the brain developed in an abnormal

way Many people with Angelman

syndrome have microcephaly small

heads Doesnrsquot that mean that their

brains havenrsquot grown enough Doesnrsquot

that mean that the disorder is

irreversible

Not necessarily It is a question of

structure versus function If the

Angelman brain is built differently than

the typical brain then a cure might be

farfetched Whole neural pathways

would have to be unwound and

rewound channels filled in and re-dug

branches built where none had reached

before Maybe not impossible to fix but

nigh

On the other hand if Angelman

syndrome is a synaptic disease and all

the neurons are there but

misconnecting like diplomats

without a translator then maybe a cure

could supply the missing ingredient and

the neurons would jump into action A

few days before Philpotrsquos research came

out just before Christmas 2011 Dr Ed

Weeber published a separate study on

another strain of adult Angelman mice

Weeber delivered the Ube3a gene into

the brains of these mice and Angelman

behaviors normalized Thatrsquos right Full-

grown mice with the mouse form of

Angelman syndrome get better when you

supply the gene they are missing So it

isnrsquot structural Itrsquos synaptic

Weeber showed that Angelman

syndrome can be reversed and Philpot

found the drug that can reverse it What

luck

Hold your breath There is no way to

know if the drug Philpot identified will

improve Angelman symptoms in humans

until we try it in humans But what all

this means is that it is possible that

sometime in the near future we could

give Topotecan or some other drug like

it to a kid with Angelman syndrome

maybe even a teenager maybe even

Louie and reverse the symptoms

What does that mean Will Louie lean

forward and say ldquoPass the salt pleaserdquo

Will he run and jump Will he dream

Maybe hersquoll tell us all the things that have

been bothering him all this time recount

all the conversations wersquove had in front of

him and the cusswords wersquove said to

other drivers while he has been in the

backseat sweetly smiling

Louie has lived 13 years in silence

coddled and catered to Oh wersquove

worked him hard taught him to sight-

read flashcards and communicate a bit

through signs and an iPAD Wersquove

dragged him to swim classes and hippo

therapy and every other technique that

showed any promise

Hersquos learned a lot all these years but

what about all the lessons hersquos

missed things he hasnrsquot learned or

understood playmates and friends

hersquos never had sports hersquos never

played Even in the most active

and conscientious family the life of

an intellectually disabled non-verbal

child is severely restricted

Thankfully smiling a lot and being

happy is another well-known

symptom of Angelman syndrome

Will a ldquocurerdquo cause Louie to be as

anxious and crabby and irritable as

the rest of us

Does it matter If Louie had been

born with no legs and a fantastic

medical team had invented a form of

artificial limbs that could be

permanently implanted we would

have jumped to get him a pair

If Louie had been born with half a

heart we would have sent him to a

hotshot surgeon to manufacture the

other half out of his own muscle and

tissue

If Louie had been born with the gene

for Huntingtonrsquos disease and a drug

was discovered that could stall the

inexorable brain deterioration

caused by the mutation we wouldnrsquot

hesitate to give it to him

Strangely people I know are having

a very hard time with the idea of

giving Louie a drug that might cure

his mental retardation Experts on

developmental disabilities squirm as

if I am suggesting that we cure

Louiersquos ethnicity Educators

continue to insist as they always

have that pushing Louie to learn

academic skills is a waste of time

Friends balk assuming that a brain

disorder canrsquot really be ldquocuredrdquo and

that I am living in a state of rose-

colored denial

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bedwith Padding and IV Accessories

SleepSafereg - Low Bed

SleepSaferreg- High Bedoers the most safety protection with two removable safety rails

SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

SleepSafeBedcom

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in Multi-Color

SleepSaferreg- High Bedwith one safety rail removedand one safety rail rotated down

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in White

SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

I spent the first year primarily

focusing on her first full

language AAC system known

as PODD with the help of

others in our community In

other aspects to her education

I was still stuck in that

common special education

mentality which required

Rylee to prove she was

learning instead of presuming

it up front I needed to see

those check marks that I was

taught were so important I

explicitly taught her

lowercase letter sounds

through a modified version of

Discrete Trial Training

While she was good at it this

approach was not empowering

her as a learner It was

forcing her to prove her

competence and constantly

perform what I wanted her to

perform

I have since been introduced

to a whole new perspective

that aligns perfectly with my

teaching philosophy

I want to empower Rylee to

be a thinker a doer and an

active participant in her own

life and education Since

homeschooling her and

pulling her out of public

schools I have watched the

most beautiful transformation

in Rylee going from this

passive compliant

extrinsically motivated

product of special education

to someone whom is actively

seeking new information and

The educators in charge of

teaching our children only

know what they have been

taught through their own

education which primarily

focuses on those common

behavioral approaches (I know

because Irsquom currently

obtaining my Masters in

Special Education)

The only way we can change

the face of special education

and the way our children are

taught is to lead by example

being intrinsically motivated to

learn I feel like she is seeing

herself as a learner for the first

time in her life because I shifted

my focus on the messages I was

sending to her

I scrapped all behavioral

approaches and replaced them

with appropriate tools to bridge the

gap from what her biology limits

her from doing and what she needs

to be doing I removed all

demands on her performance and

began providing authentic

experiences for her to

learn and explore with these new

tools

I am not writing this to encourage

anyone to pull their children out of

public schools and start

homeschooling It is my goal in

writing this to show that there are

other perspectives to teaching our

children and empowering them as

individuals

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you

A Big Thanks to all of the contributors that help

bring you Angelman Today

Angelman Today Supporters

Sleep Safe Beds wwwsleepsafebedcom

Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

All of the Angelman

and Associated

Foundations

across the globe

Contributors Dr Ronald Thibert

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Keisha Tipton

Shari Caspert

Angela Humble Tucker

Regie and Yolanda Hamm

Betty Willemsen

Mark Mautone MA ABA

Terry Jo V Bichell -

MPH CNM and Parent

Angelman Today is a lifestyle guide to achieving better health for individuals with Angelman Syndrome and their families It is written with your needs in mind but is not a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health care providers The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions products or procedures that appear on this website or online magazine All matters regarding your health should be supervised by a licensed health care physician Copyright 2013 Angelman Today LLC All rights reserved worldwide

A Cure for Louie

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM (PhD candidate)

Nashville TN February 26 2012

I learned while traveling in Nigeria long

ago that the child who follows twins is

supposed to bring luck or be lucky or

carry some kind of amazing happy

blessing I remember thinking about

that luckiness when I saw Louiersquos

squished newborn face just after his

cord was cut

Louie was born in February 1999

sweet social and sleepless just like his

big sisters We didnrsquot learn until a year

later when we sought a reason for his

inability to sit up and crawl and babble

like all the other playgroup babies that

he was born without a crucial piece of

my 15th chromosome He was made

from a good sperm and a bad egg

Ironic considering that the last two of

his four older sisters had come from an

egg so lucky it split in half and made

gorgeous brilliant identical twins

The egg that made Louie had a tiny

chunk missing while the sperm was

perfectly intact The lack of that little

piece of maternal DNA specifically the

lack of one particular gene Ube3a

causes Angelman syndrome Since his

diagnosis I have dreamed of Ube3a

pondered Ube3a cursed Ube3a and

pleaded with Ube3a Why did that little

piece fall out Was it my Fourth of July

beer drinking in the month following his

conception Was it my bad behavior as

a high school and college student Was

it a karmic curse for selfish decisions as

a young adult Was it because my

parentsrsquo neighborhood in Texas had

been regularly sprayed with DDT Was

it because as good Christians assured

me unbidden our family could uniquely

handle a child with a severe disability

and we had been chosen for this task

by a higher power

It turns out that this section of the

human genome is just a weak spot in

our genetic code a chunk that is prone

to falling out or rearranging itself

These genes fall out before or during

conception without regard to age

substance abuse socio-economic

status race ethnicity religion or

sexual preference It is just bad luck

When Louie was diagnosed with

Angelman syndrome we were told

with variable sensitivity that he would

have severe epilepsy and severe

mental retardation now referred to as

an intellectual disability by ldquoPeople-

Firstrdquo terminology We were told that

he might never walk he might never

eat normally or toilet-train he would be

hyperactive sleepless and a danger to

himself during the long sleepless

nights With good care he would live a

normal lifespan and he would never

speak a word It seemed to my

husband and me to be pretty bad luck

Or was it My husband is a pediatric

heart surgeon and his patients are

babies born with only half a heart or

hearts with a missing piece or a

twisted section or a mismatched

middle Usually he fixes their

enormous cardiac bad luck and these

delicate babies come out of the ICU to

be pink and vibrant They grow up and

play sports and come back to visit and

shake his hand

I never doubted that there would also

be a way to fix the missing piece of

Louiersquos DNA

Louie was lucky to be born a mere 2

years after brilliant scientists

Art Beaudet and Joe Wagstaff had

identified maternal Ube3a as the

source of Angelman syndrome

They had also found that the normal

companion gene on the paternal

15th chromosome was turned off

as it is in everyone All of us leave

our fatherrsquos Ube3a to rest using

only our motherrsquos Ube3a to do what

needs to be done So Louie was

missing the Ube3a that I should

have given him and his fatherrsquos

Ube3a was just sitting there

perfectly good but dormant

It seemed possible plausible to be

able to get that paternal Ube3a off

the couch and into the kitchen All

we needed to do was turn it on

somehow and maybe Louie would

walk eat sleep well and speak

My husband and I used all our

medical wherewithal to help the

brilliant scientists move their ideas

about awakening the paternal gene

into clinical trials and real kids

Despite all the best efforts nothing

worked The paternal Ube3a

stayed a snooze I went back to

school at the age of 50 to join the

quest for the holy gene grail myself

as a PhD student in neuroscience

convinced that the cure lay almost

visible reachable just over the next

hump And it was In an amazing stroke of good fortune two young scientists Ed Weeber in Florida and Ben Philpot in North Carolina joined the fray and independently went to work on the problem In December 2011 right before the holidays both published papers

ANGEL ASSOCIACcedilAtildeO SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DE PORTUGAL

WWWFACEBOOKCOMANGELMANPT

CONTACTOSTLF96 8691906 (OPT)91 6474909 (TMN)96 6885700 (TMN)91 2448103 (VDF)

E-MAIL GERALANGELPT

WWWANGELPT

O SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DESCOBERTO EM MEADOS DA DEacuteCADA DE 60 PELO DR HARRY ANGELMAN O PEDIATRA INGLEcircS DE QUEM HERDOU O NOME Eacute UMA DOENCcedilA GENEacuteTICO-NEUROLOacuteGICA QUE SE ESTIMA QUE AFETE 1 EM CADA 15000 NASCIDOS VIVOS A CAUSA DESTE SIacuteNDROME Eacute NA MAIOR PARTE DOS CASOS A AUSEcircNCIA OU IMPERFEICcedilAtildeO DO CROMOSSOMA 15 (REGIAtildeO Q 11-13) HERDADO DA MAtildeE CARACTERIZA-SE ENTRE OUTROS PELO SEVERO ATRASO NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DIFICULDADE NA FALA DISTUacuteRBIOS NO SONO CONVULSOtildeES MOVIMENTOS DESCONEXOS E SORRISO FREQUENTE

The gentleman in North Carolina had

designed one of those simply beautiful

experiments that I can now appreciate

as a neuroscience student He used

dishes of cells from a genetically

engineered mouse that would glow

yellow only if the paternal Ube3a was

turned on Then he poured a selection

of 2000 known neuroactive medications

and compounds onto the cells and

waited to see which ones would glow I

imagine him grabbing the plate with one

yellow well from a naive undergraduate

student and shouting ldquoEurekardquo Or

maybe he simply figured it was a

mistake and sent the poor beleaguered

student back to the lab to repeat the

experiment until he was convinced by

the evidence Amazingly

unexpectedly one drug a brain cancer

drug Topotecan allowed the paternal

Ube3a to activate turning the cells

yellow Philpot had found a way to cure

Angelman syndrome The cure

But what does it mean to cure a person

with a developmental disability Hasnrsquot

the brain developed in an abnormal

way Many people with Angelman

syndrome have microcephaly small

heads Doesnrsquot that mean that their

brains havenrsquot grown enough Doesnrsquot

that mean that the disorder is

irreversible

Not necessarily It is a question of

structure versus function If the

Angelman brain is built differently than

the typical brain then a cure might be

farfetched Whole neural pathways

would have to be unwound and

rewound channels filled in and re-dug

branches built where none had reached

before Maybe not impossible to fix but

nigh

On the other hand if Angelman

syndrome is a synaptic disease and all

the neurons are there but

misconnecting like diplomats

without a translator then maybe a cure

could supply the missing ingredient and

the neurons would jump into action A

few days before Philpotrsquos research came

out just before Christmas 2011 Dr Ed

Weeber published a separate study on

another strain of adult Angelman mice

Weeber delivered the Ube3a gene into

the brains of these mice and Angelman

behaviors normalized Thatrsquos right Full-

grown mice with the mouse form of

Angelman syndrome get better when you

supply the gene they are missing So it

isnrsquot structural Itrsquos synaptic

Weeber showed that Angelman

syndrome can be reversed and Philpot

found the drug that can reverse it What

luck

Hold your breath There is no way to

know if the drug Philpot identified will

improve Angelman symptoms in humans

until we try it in humans But what all

this means is that it is possible that

sometime in the near future we could

give Topotecan or some other drug like

it to a kid with Angelman syndrome

maybe even a teenager maybe even

Louie and reverse the symptoms

What does that mean Will Louie lean

forward and say ldquoPass the salt pleaserdquo

Will he run and jump Will he dream

Maybe hersquoll tell us all the things that have

been bothering him all this time recount

all the conversations wersquove had in front of

him and the cusswords wersquove said to

other drivers while he has been in the

backseat sweetly smiling

Louie has lived 13 years in silence

coddled and catered to Oh wersquove

worked him hard taught him to sight-

read flashcards and communicate a bit

through signs and an iPAD Wersquove

dragged him to swim classes and hippo

therapy and every other technique that

showed any promise

Hersquos learned a lot all these years but

what about all the lessons hersquos

missed things he hasnrsquot learned or

understood playmates and friends

hersquos never had sports hersquos never

played Even in the most active

and conscientious family the life of

an intellectually disabled non-verbal

child is severely restricted

Thankfully smiling a lot and being

happy is another well-known

symptom of Angelman syndrome

Will a ldquocurerdquo cause Louie to be as

anxious and crabby and irritable as

the rest of us

Does it matter If Louie had been

born with no legs and a fantastic

medical team had invented a form of

artificial limbs that could be

permanently implanted we would

have jumped to get him a pair

If Louie had been born with half a

heart we would have sent him to a

hotshot surgeon to manufacture the

other half out of his own muscle and

tissue

If Louie had been born with the gene

for Huntingtonrsquos disease and a drug

was discovered that could stall the

inexorable brain deterioration

caused by the mutation we wouldnrsquot

hesitate to give it to him

Strangely people I know are having

a very hard time with the idea of

giving Louie a drug that might cure

his mental retardation Experts on

developmental disabilities squirm as

if I am suggesting that we cure

Louiersquos ethnicity Educators

continue to insist as they always

have that pushing Louie to learn

academic skills is a waste of time

Friends balk assuming that a brain

disorder canrsquot really be ldquocuredrdquo and

that I am living in a state of rose-

colored denial

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bedwith Padding and IV Accessories

SleepSafereg - Low Bed

SleepSaferreg- High Bedoers the most safety protection with two removable safety rails

SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

SleepSafeBedcom

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in Multi-Color

SleepSaferreg- High Bedwith one safety rail removedand one safety rail rotated down

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in White

SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Thank you

A Big Thanks to all of the contributors that help

bring you Angelman Today

Angelman Today Supporters

Sleep Safe Beds wwwsleepsafebedcom

Strider Bikes wwwstriderbikescom

All of the Angelman

and Associated

Foundations

across the globe

Contributors Dr Ronald Thibert

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Keisha Tipton

Shari Caspert

Angela Humble Tucker

Regie and Yolanda Hamm

Betty Willemsen

Mark Mautone MA ABA

Terry Jo V Bichell -

MPH CNM and Parent

Angelman Today is a lifestyle guide to achieving better health for individuals with Angelman Syndrome and their families It is written with your needs in mind but is not a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health care providers The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions products or procedures that appear on this website or online magazine All matters regarding your health should be supervised by a licensed health care physician Copyright 2013 Angelman Today LLC All rights reserved worldwide

A Cure for Louie

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM (PhD candidate)

Nashville TN February 26 2012

I learned while traveling in Nigeria long

ago that the child who follows twins is

supposed to bring luck or be lucky or

carry some kind of amazing happy

blessing I remember thinking about

that luckiness when I saw Louiersquos

squished newborn face just after his

cord was cut

Louie was born in February 1999

sweet social and sleepless just like his

big sisters We didnrsquot learn until a year

later when we sought a reason for his

inability to sit up and crawl and babble

like all the other playgroup babies that

he was born without a crucial piece of

my 15th chromosome He was made

from a good sperm and a bad egg

Ironic considering that the last two of

his four older sisters had come from an

egg so lucky it split in half and made

gorgeous brilliant identical twins

The egg that made Louie had a tiny

chunk missing while the sperm was

perfectly intact The lack of that little

piece of maternal DNA specifically the

lack of one particular gene Ube3a

causes Angelman syndrome Since his

diagnosis I have dreamed of Ube3a

pondered Ube3a cursed Ube3a and

pleaded with Ube3a Why did that little

piece fall out Was it my Fourth of July

beer drinking in the month following his

conception Was it my bad behavior as

a high school and college student Was

it a karmic curse for selfish decisions as

a young adult Was it because my

parentsrsquo neighborhood in Texas had

been regularly sprayed with DDT Was

it because as good Christians assured

me unbidden our family could uniquely

handle a child with a severe disability

and we had been chosen for this task

by a higher power

It turns out that this section of the

human genome is just a weak spot in

our genetic code a chunk that is prone

to falling out or rearranging itself

These genes fall out before or during

conception without regard to age

substance abuse socio-economic

status race ethnicity religion or

sexual preference It is just bad luck

When Louie was diagnosed with

Angelman syndrome we were told

with variable sensitivity that he would

have severe epilepsy and severe

mental retardation now referred to as

an intellectual disability by ldquoPeople-

Firstrdquo terminology We were told that

he might never walk he might never

eat normally or toilet-train he would be

hyperactive sleepless and a danger to

himself during the long sleepless

nights With good care he would live a

normal lifespan and he would never

speak a word It seemed to my

husband and me to be pretty bad luck

Or was it My husband is a pediatric

heart surgeon and his patients are

babies born with only half a heart or

hearts with a missing piece or a

twisted section or a mismatched

middle Usually he fixes their

enormous cardiac bad luck and these

delicate babies come out of the ICU to

be pink and vibrant They grow up and

play sports and come back to visit and

shake his hand

I never doubted that there would also

be a way to fix the missing piece of

Louiersquos DNA

Louie was lucky to be born a mere 2

years after brilliant scientists

Art Beaudet and Joe Wagstaff had

identified maternal Ube3a as the

source of Angelman syndrome

They had also found that the normal

companion gene on the paternal

15th chromosome was turned off

as it is in everyone All of us leave

our fatherrsquos Ube3a to rest using

only our motherrsquos Ube3a to do what

needs to be done So Louie was

missing the Ube3a that I should

have given him and his fatherrsquos

Ube3a was just sitting there

perfectly good but dormant

It seemed possible plausible to be

able to get that paternal Ube3a off

the couch and into the kitchen All

we needed to do was turn it on

somehow and maybe Louie would

walk eat sleep well and speak

My husband and I used all our

medical wherewithal to help the

brilliant scientists move their ideas

about awakening the paternal gene

into clinical trials and real kids

Despite all the best efforts nothing

worked The paternal Ube3a

stayed a snooze I went back to

school at the age of 50 to join the

quest for the holy gene grail myself

as a PhD student in neuroscience

convinced that the cure lay almost

visible reachable just over the next

hump And it was In an amazing stroke of good fortune two young scientists Ed Weeber in Florida and Ben Philpot in North Carolina joined the fray and independently went to work on the problem In December 2011 right before the holidays both published papers

ANGEL ASSOCIACcedilAtildeO SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DE PORTUGAL

WWWFACEBOOKCOMANGELMANPT

CONTACTOSTLF96 8691906 (OPT)91 6474909 (TMN)96 6885700 (TMN)91 2448103 (VDF)

E-MAIL GERALANGELPT

WWWANGELPT

O SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DESCOBERTO EM MEADOS DA DEacuteCADA DE 60 PELO DR HARRY ANGELMAN O PEDIATRA INGLEcircS DE QUEM HERDOU O NOME Eacute UMA DOENCcedilA GENEacuteTICO-NEUROLOacuteGICA QUE SE ESTIMA QUE AFETE 1 EM CADA 15000 NASCIDOS VIVOS A CAUSA DESTE SIacuteNDROME Eacute NA MAIOR PARTE DOS CASOS A AUSEcircNCIA OU IMPERFEICcedilAtildeO DO CROMOSSOMA 15 (REGIAtildeO Q 11-13) HERDADO DA MAtildeE CARACTERIZA-SE ENTRE OUTROS PELO SEVERO ATRASO NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DIFICULDADE NA FALA DISTUacuteRBIOS NO SONO CONVULSOtildeES MOVIMENTOS DESCONEXOS E SORRISO FREQUENTE

The gentleman in North Carolina had

designed one of those simply beautiful

experiments that I can now appreciate

as a neuroscience student He used

dishes of cells from a genetically

engineered mouse that would glow

yellow only if the paternal Ube3a was

turned on Then he poured a selection

of 2000 known neuroactive medications

and compounds onto the cells and

waited to see which ones would glow I

imagine him grabbing the plate with one

yellow well from a naive undergraduate

student and shouting ldquoEurekardquo Or

maybe he simply figured it was a

mistake and sent the poor beleaguered

student back to the lab to repeat the

experiment until he was convinced by

the evidence Amazingly

unexpectedly one drug a brain cancer

drug Topotecan allowed the paternal

Ube3a to activate turning the cells

yellow Philpot had found a way to cure

Angelman syndrome The cure

But what does it mean to cure a person

with a developmental disability Hasnrsquot

the brain developed in an abnormal

way Many people with Angelman

syndrome have microcephaly small

heads Doesnrsquot that mean that their

brains havenrsquot grown enough Doesnrsquot

that mean that the disorder is

irreversible

Not necessarily It is a question of

structure versus function If the

Angelman brain is built differently than

the typical brain then a cure might be

farfetched Whole neural pathways

would have to be unwound and

rewound channels filled in and re-dug

branches built where none had reached

before Maybe not impossible to fix but

nigh

On the other hand if Angelman

syndrome is a synaptic disease and all

the neurons are there but

misconnecting like diplomats

without a translator then maybe a cure

could supply the missing ingredient and

the neurons would jump into action A

few days before Philpotrsquos research came

out just before Christmas 2011 Dr Ed

Weeber published a separate study on

another strain of adult Angelman mice

Weeber delivered the Ube3a gene into

the brains of these mice and Angelman

behaviors normalized Thatrsquos right Full-

grown mice with the mouse form of

Angelman syndrome get better when you

supply the gene they are missing So it

isnrsquot structural Itrsquos synaptic

Weeber showed that Angelman

syndrome can be reversed and Philpot

found the drug that can reverse it What

luck

Hold your breath There is no way to

know if the drug Philpot identified will

improve Angelman symptoms in humans

until we try it in humans But what all

this means is that it is possible that

sometime in the near future we could

give Topotecan or some other drug like

it to a kid with Angelman syndrome

maybe even a teenager maybe even

Louie and reverse the symptoms

What does that mean Will Louie lean

forward and say ldquoPass the salt pleaserdquo

Will he run and jump Will he dream

Maybe hersquoll tell us all the things that have

been bothering him all this time recount

all the conversations wersquove had in front of

him and the cusswords wersquove said to

other drivers while he has been in the

backseat sweetly smiling

Louie has lived 13 years in silence

coddled and catered to Oh wersquove

worked him hard taught him to sight-

read flashcards and communicate a bit

through signs and an iPAD Wersquove

dragged him to swim classes and hippo

therapy and every other technique that

showed any promise

Hersquos learned a lot all these years but

what about all the lessons hersquos

missed things he hasnrsquot learned or

understood playmates and friends

hersquos never had sports hersquos never

played Even in the most active

and conscientious family the life of

an intellectually disabled non-verbal

child is severely restricted

Thankfully smiling a lot and being

happy is another well-known

symptom of Angelman syndrome

Will a ldquocurerdquo cause Louie to be as

anxious and crabby and irritable as

the rest of us

Does it matter If Louie had been

born with no legs and a fantastic

medical team had invented a form of

artificial limbs that could be

permanently implanted we would

have jumped to get him a pair

If Louie had been born with half a

heart we would have sent him to a

hotshot surgeon to manufacture the

other half out of his own muscle and

tissue

If Louie had been born with the gene

for Huntingtonrsquos disease and a drug

was discovered that could stall the

inexorable brain deterioration

caused by the mutation we wouldnrsquot

hesitate to give it to him

Strangely people I know are having

a very hard time with the idea of

giving Louie a drug that might cure

his mental retardation Experts on

developmental disabilities squirm as

if I am suggesting that we cure

Louiersquos ethnicity Educators

continue to insist as they always

have that pushing Louie to learn

academic skills is a waste of time

Friends balk assuming that a brain

disorder canrsquot really be ldquocuredrdquo and

that I am living in a state of rose-

colored denial

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bedwith Padding and IV Accessories

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SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

SleepSafeBedcom

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in Multi-Color

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SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

A Cure for Louie

By Terry Jo V Bichell MPH CNM (PhD candidate)

Nashville TN February 26 2012

I learned while traveling in Nigeria long

ago that the child who follows twins is

supposed to bring luck or be lucky or

carry some kind of amazing happy

blessing I remember thinking about

that luckiness when I saw Louiersquos

squished newborn face just after his

cord was cut

Louie was born in February 1999

sweet social and sleepless just like his

big sisters We didnrsquot learn until a year

later when we sought a reason for his

inability to sit up and crawl and babble

like all the other playgroup babies that

he was born without a crucial piece of

my 15th chromosome He was made

from a good sperm and a bad egg

Ironic considering that the last two of

his four older sisters had come from an

egg so lucky it split in half and made

gorgeous brilliant identical twins

The egg that made Louie had a tiny

chunk missing while the sperm was

perfectly intact The lack of that little

piece of maternal DNA specifically the

lack of one particular gene Ube3a

causes Angelman syndrome Since his

diagnosis I have dreamed of Ube3a

pondered Ube3a cursed Ube3a and

pleaded with Ube3a Why did that little

piece fall out Was it my Fourth of July

beer drinking in the month following his

conception Was it my bad behavior as

a high school and college student Was

it a karmic curse for selfish decisions as

a young adult Was it because my

parentsrsquo neighborhood in Texas had

been regularly sprayed with DDT Was

it because as good Christians assured

me unbidden our family could uniquely

handle a child with a severe disability

and we had been chosen for this task

by a higher power

It turns out that this section of the

human genome is just a weak spot in

our genetic code a chunk that is prone

to falling out or rearranging itself

These genes fall out before or during

conception without regard to age

substance abuse socio-economic

status race ethnicity religion or

sexual preference It is just bad luck

When Louie was diagnosed with

Angelman syndrome we were told

with variable sensitivity that he would

have severe epilepsy and severe

mental retardation now referred to as

an intellectual disability by ldquoPeople-

Firstrdquo terminology We were told that

he might never walk he might never

eat normally or toilet-train he would be

hyperactive sleepless and a danger to

himself during the long sleepless

nights With good care he would live a

normal lifespan and he would never

speak a word It seemed to my

husband and me to be pretty bad luck

Or was it My husband is a pediatric

heart surgeon and his patients are

babies born with only half a heart or

hearts with a missing piece or a

twisted section or a mismatched

middle Usually he fixes their

enormous cardiac bad luck and these

delicate babies come out of the ICU to

be pink and vibrant They grow up and

play sports and come back to visit and

shake his hand

I never doubted that there would also

be a way to fix the missing piece of

Louiersquos DNA

Louie was lucky to be born a mere 2

years after brilliant scientists

Art Beaudet and Joe Wagstaff had

identified maternal Ube3a as the

source of Angelman syndrome

They had also found that the normal

companion gene on the paternal

15th chromosome was turned off

as it is in everyone All of us leave

our fatherrsquos Ube3a to rest using

only our motherrsquos Ube3a to do what

needs to be done So Louie was

missing the Ube3a that I should

have given him and his fatherrsquos

Ube3a was just sitting there

perfectly good but dormant

It seemed possible plausible to be

able to get that paternal Ube3a off

the couch and into the kitchen All

we needed to do was turn it on

somehow and maybe Louie would

walk eat sleep well and speak

My husband and I used all our

medical wherewithal to help the

brilliant scientists move their ideas

about awakening the paternal gene

into clinical trials and real kids

Despite all the best efforts nothing

worked The paternal Ube3a

stayed a snooze I went back to

school at the age of 50 to join the

quest for the holy gene grail myself

as a PhD student in neuroscience

convinced that the cure lay almost

visible reachable just over the next

hump And it was In an amazing stroke of good fortune two young scientists Ed Weeber in Florida and Ben Philpot in North Carolina joined the fray and independently went to work on the problem In December 2011 right before the holidays both published papers

ANGEL ASSOCIACcedilAtildeO SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DE PORTUGAL

WWWFACEBOOKCOMANGELMANPT

CONTACTOSTLF96 8691906 (OPT)91 6474909 (TMN)96 6885700 (TMN)91 2448103 (VDF)

E-MAIL GERALANGELPT

WWWANGELPT

O SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DESCOBERTO EM MEADOS DA DEacuteCADA DE 60 PELO DR HARRY ANGELMAN O PEDIATRA INGLEcircS DE QUEM HERDOU O NOME Eacute UMA DOENCcedilA GENEacuteTICO-NEUROLOacuteGICA QUE SE ESTIMA QUE AFETE 1 EM CADA 15000 NASCIDOS VIVOS A CAUSA DESTE SIacuteNDROME Eacute NA MAIOR PARTE DOS CASOS A AUSEcircNCIA OU IMPERFEICcedilAtildeO DO CROMOSSOMA 15 (REGIAtildeO Q 11-13) HERDADO DA MAtildeE CARACTERIZA-SE ENTRE OUTROS PELO SEVERO ATRASO NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DIFICULDADE NA FALA DISTUacuteRBIOS NO SONO CONVULSOtildeES MOVIMENTOS DESCONEXOS E SORRISO FREQUENTE

The gentleman in North Carolina had

designed one of those simply beautiful

experiments that I can now appreciate

as a neuroscience student He used

dishes of cells from a genetically

engineered mouse that would glow

yellow only if the paternal Ube3a was

turned on Then he poured a selection

of 2000 known neuroactive medications

and compounds onto the cells and

waited to see which ones would glow I

imagine him grabbing the plate with one

yellow well from a naive undergraduate

student and shouting ldquoEurekardquo Or

maybe he simply figured it was a

mistake and sent the poor beleaguered

student back to the lab to repeat the

experiment until he was convinced by

the evidence Amazingly

unexpectedly one drug a brain cancer

drug Topotecan allowed the paternal

Ube3a to activate turning the cells

yellow Philpot had found a way to cure

Angelman syndrome The cure

But what does it mean to cure a person

with a developmental disability Hasnrsquot

the brain developed in an abnormal

way Many people with Angelman

syndrome have microcephaly small

heads Doesnrsquot that mean that their

brains havenrsquot grown enough Doesnrsquot

that mean that the disorder is

irreversible

Not necessarily It is a question of

structure versus function If the

Angelman brain is built differently than

the typical brain then a cure might be

farfetched Whole neural pathways

would have to be unwound and

rewound channels filled in and re-dug

branches built where none had reached

before Maybe not impossible to fix but

nigh

On the other hand if Angelman

syndrome is a synaptic disease and all

the neurons are there but

misconnecting like diplomats

without a translator then maybe a cure

could supply the missing ingredient and

the neurons would jump into action A

few days before Philpotrsquos research came

out just before Christmas 2011 Dr Ed

Weeber published a separate study on

another strain of adult Angelman mice

Weeber delivered the Ube3a gene into

the brains of these mice and Angelman

behaviors normalized Thatrsquos right Full-

grown mice with the mouse form of

Angelman syndrome get better when you

supply the gene they are missing So it

isnrsquot structural Itrsquos synaptic

Weeber showed that Angelman

syndrome can be reversed and Philpot

found the drug that can reverse it What

luck

Hold your breath There is no way to

know if the drug Philpot identified will

improve Angelman symptoms in humans

until we try it in humans But what all

this means is that it is possible that

sometime in the near future we could

give Topotecan or some other drug like

it to a kid with Angelman syndrome

maybe even a teenager maybe even

Louie and reverse the symptoms

What does that mean Will Louie lean

forward and say ldquoPass the salt pleaserdquo

Will he run and jump Will he dream

Maybe hersquoll tell us all the things that have

been bothering him all this time recount

all the conversations wersquove had in front of

him and the cusswords wersquove said to

other drivers while he has been in the

backseat sweetly smiling

Louie has lived 13 years in silence

coddled and catered to Oh wersquove

worked him hard taught him to sight-

read flashcards and communicate a bit

through signs and an iPAD Wersquove

dragged him to swim classes and hippo

therapy and every other technique that

showed any promise

Hersquos learned a lot all these years but

what about all the lessons hersquos

missed things he hasnrsquot learned or

understood playmates and friends

hersquos never had sports hersquos never

played Even in the most active

and conscientious family the life of

an intellectually disabled non-verbal

child is severely restricted

Thankfully smiling a lot and being

happy is another well-known

symptom of Angelman syndrome

Will a ldquocurerdquo cause Louie to be as

anxious and crabby and irritable as

the rest of us

Does it matter If Louie had been

born with no legs and a fantastic

medical team had invented a form of

artificial limbs that could be

permanently implanted we would

have jumped to get him a pair

If Louie had been born with half a

heart we would have sent him to a

hotshot surgeon to manufacture the

other half out of his own muscle and

tissue

If Louie had been born with the gene

for Huntingtonrsquos disease and a drug

was discovered that could stall the

inexorable brain deterioration

caused by the mutation we wouldnrsquot

hesitate to give it to him

Strangely people I know are having

a very hard time with the idea of

giving Louie a drug that might cure

his mental retardation Experts on

developmental disabilities squirm as

if I am suggesting that we cure

Louiersquos ethnicity Educators

continue to insist as they always

have that pushing Louie to learn

academic skills is a waste of time

Friends balk assuming that a brain

disorder canrsquot really be ldquocuredrdquo and

that I am living in a state of rose-

colored denial

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

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help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

ANGEL ASSOCIACcedilAtildeO SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DE PORTUGAL

WWWFACEBOOKCOMANGELMANPT

CONTACTOSTLF96 8691906 (OPT)91 6474909 (TMN)96 6885700 (TMN)91 2448103 (VDF)

E-MAIL GERALANGELPT

WWWANGELPT

O SIacuteNDROME DE ANGELMAN DESCOBERTO EM MEADOS DA DEacuteCADA DE 60 PELO DR HARRY ANGELMAN O PEDIATRA INGLEcircS DE QUEM HERDOU O NOME Eacute UMA DOENCcedilA GENEacuteTICO-NEUROLOacuteGICA QUE SE ESTIMA QUE AFETE 1 EM CADA 15000 NASCIDOS VIVOS A CAUSA DESTE SIacuteNDROME Eacute NA MAIOR PARTE DOS CASOS A AUSEcircNCIA OU IMPERFEICcedilAtildeO DO CROMOSSOMA 15 (REGIAtildeO Q 11-13) HERDADO DA MAtildeE CARACTERIZA-SE ENTRE OUTROS PELO SEVERO ATRASO NO DESENVOLVIMENTO DIFICULDADE NA FALA DISTUacuteRBIOS NO SONO CONVULSOtildeES MOVIMENTOS DESCONEXOS E SORRISO FREQUENTE

The gentleman in North Carolina had

designed one of those simply beautiful

experiments that I can now appreciate

as a neuroscience student He used

dishes of cells from a genetically

engineered mouse that would glow

yellow only if the paternal Ube3a was

turned on Then he poured a selection

of 2000 known neuroactive medications

and compounds onto the cells and

waited to see which ones would glow I

imagine him grabbing the plate with one

yellow well from a naive undergraduate

student and shouting ldquoEurekardquo Or

maybe he simply figured it was a

mistake and sent the poor beleaguered

student back to the lab to repeat the

experiment until he was convinced by

the evidence Amazingly

unexpectedly one drug a brain cancer

drug Topotecan allowed the paternal

Ube3a to activate turning the cells

yellow Philpot had found a way to cure

Angelman syndrome The cure

But what does it mean to cure a person

with a developmental disability Hasnrsquot

the brain developed in an abnormal

way Many people with Angelman

syndrome have microcephaly small

heads Doesnrsquot that mean that their

brains havenrsquot grown enough Doesnrsquot

that mean that the disorder is

irreversible

Not necessarily It is a question of

structure versus function If the

Angelman brain is built differently than

the typical brain then a cure might be

farfetched Whole neural pathways

would have to be unwound and

rewound channels filled in and re-dug

branches built where none had reached

before Maybe not impossible to fix but

nigh

On the other hand if Angelman

syndrome is a synaptic disease and all

the neurons are there but

misconnecting like diplomats

without a translator then maybe a cure

could supply the missing ingredient and

the neurons would jump into action A

few days before Philpotrsquos research came

out just before Christmas 2011 Dr Ed

Weeber published a separate study on

another strain of adult Angelman mice

Weeber delivered the Ube3a gene into

the brains of these mice and Angelman

behaviors normalized Thatrsquos right Full-

grown mice with the mouse form of

Angelman syndrome get better when you

supply the gene they are missing So it

isnrsquot structural Itrsquos synaptic

Weeber showed that Angelman

syndrome can be reversed and Philpot

found the drug that can reverse it What

luck

Hold your breath There is no way to

know if the drug Philpot identified will

improve Angelman symptoms in humans

until we try it in humans But what all

this means is that it is possible that

sometime in the near future we could

give Topotecan or some other drug like

it to a kid with Angelman syndrome

maybe even a teenager maybe even

Louie and reverse the symptoms

What does that mean Will Louie lean

forward and say ldquoPass the salt pleaserdquo

Will he run and jump Will he dream

Maybe hersquoll tell us all the things that have

been bothering him all this time recount

all the conversations wersquove had in front of

him and the cusswords wersquove said to

other drivers while he has been in the

backseat sweetly smiling

Louie has lived 13 years in silence

coddled and catered to Oh wersquove

worked him hard taught him to sight-

read flashcards and communicate a bit

through signs and an iPAD Wersquove

dragged him to swim classes and hippo

therapy and every other technique that

showed any promise

Hersquos learned a lot all these years but

what about all the lessons hersquos

missed things he hasnrsquot learned or

understood playmates and friends

hersquos never had sports hersquos never

played Even in the most active

and conscientious family the life of

an intellectually disabled non-verbal

child is severely restricted

Thankfully smiling a lot and being

happy is another well-known

symptom of Angelman syndrome

Will a ldquocurerdquo cause Louie to be as

anxious and crabby and irritable as

the rest of us

Does it matter If Louie had been

born with no legs and a fantastic

medical team had invented a form of

artificial limbs that could be

permanently implanted we would

have jumped to get him a pair

If Louie had been born with half a

heart we would have sent him to a

hotshot surgeon to manufacture the

other half out of his own muscle and

tissue

If Louie had been born with the gene

for Huntingtonrsquos disease and a drug

was discovered that could stall the

inexorable brain deterioration

caused by the mutation we wouldnrsquot

hesitate to give it to him

Strangely people I know are having

a very hard time with the idea of

giving Louie a drug that might cure

his mental retardation Experts on

developmental disabilities squirm as

if I am suggesting that we cure

Louiersquos ethnicity Educators

continue to insist as they always

have that pushing Louie to learn

academic skills is a waste of time

Friends balk assuming that a brain

disorder canrsquot really be ldquocuredrdquo and

that I am living in a state of rose-

colored denial

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bedwith Padding and IV Accessories

SleepSafereg - Low Bed

SleepSaferreg- High Bedoers the most safety protection with two removable safety rails

SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

SleepSafeBedcom

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in Multi-Color

SleepSaferreg- High Bedwith one safety rail removedand one safety rail rotated down

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in White

SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

The gentleman in North Carolina had

designed one of those simply beautiful

experiments that I can now appreciate

as a neuroscience student He used

dishes of cells from a genetically

engineered mouse that would glow

yellow only if the paternal Ube3a was

turned on Then he poured a selection

of 2000 known neuroactive medications

and compounds onto the cells and

waited to see which ones would glow I

imagine him grabbing the plate with one

yellow well from a naive undergraduate

student and shouting ldquoEurekardquo Or

maybe he simply figured it was a

mistake and sent the poor beleaguered

student back to the lab to repeat the

experiment until he was convinced by

the evidence Amazingly

unexpectedly one drug a brain cancer

drug Topotecan allowed the paternal

Ube3a to activate turning the cells

yellow Philpot had found a way to cure

Angelman syndrome The cure

But what does it mean to cure a person

with a developmental disability Hasnrsquot

the brain developed in an abnormal

way Many people with Angelman

syndrome have microcephaly small

heads Doesnrsquot that mean that their

brains havenrsquot grown enough Doesnrsquot

that mean that the disorder is

irreversible

Not necessarily It is a question of

structure versus function If the

Angelman brain is built differently than

the typical brain then a cure might be

farfetched Whole neural pathways

would have to be unwound and

rewound channels filled in and re-dug

branches built where none had reached

before Maybe not impossible to fix but

nigh

On the other hand if Angelman

syndrome is a synaptic disease and all

the neurons are there but

misconnecting like diplomats

without a translator then maybe a cure

could supply the missing ingredient and

the neurons would jump into action A

few days before Philpotrsquos research came

out just before Christmas 2011 Dr Ed

Weeber published a separate study on

another strain of adult Angelman mice

Weeber delivered the Ube3a gene into

the brains of these mice and Angelman

behaviors normalized Thatrsquos right Full-

grown mice with the mouse form of

Angelman syndrome get better when you

supply the gene they are missing So it

isnrsquot structural Itrsquos synaptic

Weeber showed that Angelman

syndrome can be reversed and Philpot

found the drug that can reverse it What

luck

Hold your breath There is no way to

know if the drug Philpot identified will

improve Angelman symptoms in humans

until we try it in humans But what all

this means is that it is possible that

sometime in the near future we could

give Topotecan or some other drug like

it to a kid with Angelman syndrome

maybe even a teenager maybe even

Louie and reverse the symptoms

What does that mean Will Louie lean

forward and say ldquoPass the salt pleaserdquo

Will he run and jump Will he dream

Maybe hersquoll tell us all the things that have

been bothering him all this time recount

all the conversations wersquove had in front of

him and the cusswords wersquove said to

other drivers while he has been in the

backseat sweetly smiling

Louie has lived 13 years in silence

coddled and catered to Oh wersquove

worked him hard taught him to sight-

read flashcards and communicate a bit

through signs and an iPAD Wersquove

dragged him to swim classes and hippo

therapy and every other technique that

showed any promise

Hersquos learned a lot all these years but

what about all the lessons hersquos

missed things he hasnrsquot learned or

understood playmates and friends

hersquos never had sports hersquos never

played Even in the most active

and conscientious family the life of

an intellectually disabled non-verbal

child is severely restricted

Thankfully smiling a lot and being

happy is another well-known

symptom of Angelman syndrome

Will a ldquocurerdquo cause Louie to be as

anxious and crabby and irritable as

the rest of us

Does it matter If Louie had been

born with no legs and a fantastic

medical team had invented a form of

artificial limbs that could be

permanently implanted we would

have jumped to get him a pair

If Louie had been born with half a

heart we would have sent him to a

hotshot surgeon to manufacture the

other half out of his own muscle and

tissue

If Louie had been born with the gene

for Huntingtonrsquos disease and a drug

was discovered that could stall the

inexorable brain deterioration

caused by the mutation we wouldnrsquot

hesitate to give it to him

Strangely people I know are having

a very hard time with the idea of

giving Louie a drug that might cure

his mental retardation Experts on

developmental disabilities squirm as

if I am suggesting that we cure

Louiersquos ethnicity Educators

continue to insist as they always

have that pushing Louie to learn

academic skills is a waste of time

Friends balk assuming that a brain

disorder canrsquot really be ldquocuredrdquo and

that I am living in a state of rose-

colored denial

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

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SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

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SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Other parents of children with

Angelman syndrome take offense

stating that AS is not a lsquodiseasersquo like

diabetes or cancer How not

It is perfectly acceptable to speak

about a cure for cancer knowing that

there might be lasting effects of

tumors even when they have been

removed and that strong

chemotherapy drugs might cause

terrible side-effects

But it is very very controversial to

speak about a cure for the mental

retardation or intellectual disability of

Angelman syndrome

I have been told not to use the

irresponsible word ldquocurerdquo I have

been told to say instead ldquovery potent

treatmentrdquo because the word ldquocurerdquo

might lead naiumlve parents to assume

that their children will actually jump

up play the piano or basketball and

get a driverrsquos license and we donrsquot

know what the drug will really do

That is exactly the point We donrsquot

know what the drug might do

It might let Louiersquos synapses

suddenly kick in make connections

faster remember ideas better retrieve

knowledge move muscles And all of

that might still not allow him to speak

or stop his seizures but it might allow

him to ldquothink strongerrdquo and perhaps

that would be sufficient to call it a

cure

The brain is a part of our body a

simple organ As anyone with

treatable depression will tell you

treatment makes them feel more like

themselves than they do when they

are depressed

A cure for depression would be a

godsend Angelman syndrome like

depression or alcoholism is a brain

disorder It seems to me more

irresponsible more lazy more selfish

NOT to talk about a cure for Angelman

syndrome and face the inevitable

side-effects and disappointments that

come along with any brain drugs

We have to wind our minds around the

idea that mental retardation at least

the kind caused by Angelman

syndrome might be cured In our

lifetimes

We have to keep an open mind about

what will happen in Louiersquos mind when

he gets the ldquovery potent treatmentrdquo

We have to continue to educate him as

well as we can in case he is building

memory stores that can be unlocked

someday We have to expose him to

as many social situations as we can in

case he can learn to communicate well

some day We have to prepare him to

be cured

Louie is not Angelman syndrome he

just has it like other people have

asthma or diabetes or alcoholism He

will still be Louie without Angelman

syndrome or with more controlled

Angelman syndrome

He will still be Louie if he is less

intellectually disabled And he will be

incredibly lucky

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bedwith Padding and IV Accessories

SleepSafereg - Low Bed

SleepSaferreg- High Bedoers the most safety protection with two removable safety rails

SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

SleepSafeBedcom

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in Multi-Color

SleepSaferreg- High Bedwith one safety rail removedand one safety rail rotated down

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in White

SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

FDA Registered 866-852-2337

Wersquore here to help

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bedwith Padding and IV Accessories

SleepSafereg - Low Bed

SleepSaferreg- High Bedoers the most safety protection with two removable safety rails

SleepSafereg Beds is domestic USA manufacturer of adaptable safety beds featuring removable safety side rails designed to virtually eliminate entrapment and falls for those with special needs The SleepSafereg bed line includes SleepSafereg SleepSafereg II and SleepSaferreg models each oering more safety rail to mattress height

SleepSafeBedcom

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in Multi-Color

SleepSaferreg- High Bedwith one safety rail removedand one safety rail rotated down

SleepSafe IIreg - Medium Bed in White

SleepSafereg Beds are built to each order oering twin or full size xed articulating or HiLo frames padding and a range of nishes SleepSafereg Beds

help those with special needs get a safe restful sleep ndash and smiles on the faces of their

caregivers who see their loved ones getting the sleep they deserve

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

New resources at your fingertipsThe Angelman Syndrome Foundation offers valuable resources to families and caretakers of individuals with Angelman syndrome Check out whatrsquos new

ASF Educational Webinar SeriesThe ASF Educational Webinar Series provides you with the most up-to-date information about living with Angelman syndrome The ASF invites experts to speak about topics that help families and caretakers improve quality of life for individuals with AS addressing topics such as research updates clinical developments tips for everyday living and managing symptoms and many more The webinars also allow you to ask questions and interact with these experts maximizing the value of your participation The webinars are intended to be a key source of information and support and we hope that you find this resource valuable in your journey with AS To learn more and see the list of upcoming speakers please click here

Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome BehaviorsThe latest update to the Informational Series on Angelman Syndrome Behaviors Neurologic and Medical Influences on Aggressive Behavior in Individuals with AS addresses the complex relationship between aggressive behavior and management of the many medical issues that are commonly experienced by individuals with AS Developed by Ron Thibert DO a renowned expert on AS and a clinician at the Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic in Boston this latest update explores how seizures sleep gastrointestinal and orthopedic health and pain management affect aggression and how these medical issues can increase or decrease aggressive behavior Click here to access this update

Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day ParadeThe ASF is incredibly honored to be chosen as the national charity to benefit for the 2014 Rockville Centre St Patrickrsquos Day Parade The Parade which takes place in Rockville Centre New York on Long Island raises funds at various events throughout the year leading up to St Patrickrsquos Day which are donated to three charities The more who participate in these events the more money will come back to the Angelman syndrome community Mark your calendars for

bull January24OurTasteOfRockvilleCentreStAgnesParishCenterafoodandwinetastingevent

bull March16CJCoffeeShopFundraiserCJrsquosCoffeeShopyoursquollbehard-pressedtofindabetterbreakfast on Long Island

bull March21GrandMarshallReceptionRVCLinksaformalreceptionhonoringGrandMarshall Sean OrsquoRourke

bull March22PARADEDAYCommemorativeMassatStAgnesCathedralfollowedbytheParade down Maple Avenue

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

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Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Herersquos to a fantastic new year

Save the Date Mark your calendars for the 2014 ASF National Walk on May 17th There are 29 walk sites this year and we look forward to seeing you

Thank you for your support of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation Your donation gives the gift of a better tomorrow to individuals with AS and their families

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

The human brain is

regarded as the fattest

organ in the human

body About 60 of the

human brain is

comprised of fat which

is the highest

concentration of fat that

is present in a single

organ in a healthy

human being

Did You Know

Here Are Some Facts About The Human Brain

The Myelin Sheath is a

protective covering on the

nerves in the brain Myelin is

75 percent fats and

cholesterol and it is 25

percent protein In theory

increasing essential fatty

acids provides the body with

the building blocks it needs

to build and repair myelin as

indicated by the University

of Michigan Health System

website

The human

brain is made

up of about

75 water

which

regulates

various

functions in

the brain

The human brain

consumes the largest

portion of the total energy

that is generated in the

human body To be

precise the brain

consumes 20 of that

energy despite the fact

that it only represents only

2 of the total body

weight The energy is vital

for maintaining healthy

brain cells and fueling

nerve impulses

KNOWING THESE FACTS WHAT CAN WE DO

-DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (BETWEEN 6-8 CUPS A DAY)

-ADD HEALTHY FATS TO EVERY MEAL

Olives Olive Oil Avocado Coconut Almonds Other healthy fats Grass Fed Real Butter Duck fat Red Palm Oil Fish Oil Organic Free Range Eggs

Therapeutic Diets

Fat Ratio

LGIT ndash 60 fats

Keto ndash 80 fats

Mod Atkins ndash 75 fats

Medical Diets to be monitored by

Physicians only

In the Movie Lorenzorsquos Oil based on a true story of two parents in a relentless search for

a cure for their son Lorenzorsquos Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) a heterogeneous disease which can

be fatal Despite research dead ends and the horror of watching their sonrsquos declining health they

persisted until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually

containing two specific long chain fatty acids isolated from rapeseed [canola oil] oil and olive oil

It proved successful in normalizing the accumulation of the long chain fatty acids in the brain

thereby halting the progression of the disease Myleinorg amp Available to rent on Netflixcom

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip

helliphellip

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

wwwAngelmanorg (800) 432-6435 Intrsquol (630) 978-4245 infoangelmanorg

Justin Grill Justin Grill is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and covers three emergency rooms for Emergency Health Partners along Michiganrsquos Lake Michigan shore and was recently appointed as Assistant Director of Medical Education for Mercy Health A public speaker and expert regarding emergency issues with individuals with Angelman syndrome Justin and his wife Carrie are parents to four-year-old Noah who is diagnosed with Angelman syndrome and his siblings two-year-old Daniel and 10-month-old Hannah The Grill family has been involved with the ASF since Noahrsquos diagnosis in 2011 and has held fundraisers in their hometown of Spring Lake Mich Says Justin ldquoAs a parent and a physician I have a keen interest in Angelman syndrome research and in supporting innovative projects that bring treatments to individuals with Angelman syndrome Education is also a major component of my medical practice so I also have an interest in how we can best educate parents and caregivers of individuals with Angelman syndrome and the general community and I hope to use my skills in these areas to further support the Angelman syndrome communityrdquo

Tim BousumTim Bousum works in specialty sales with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals He and his wife Maiya Dos an architect with TriPyramid Structures have two children six-year-old Cooper and three-year-old Bode who was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2011 Residents of Ipswich Mass the Bousum family are active supporters of the ASF and have raised more than $45000 during the last three years for the ASF National Walk site in Boston Says Tim ldquoBy joining the Board of Directors I hope to further raise awareness of Angelman syndrome in our communities and contribute to the vision of improving the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndrome I have seen first hand what this organization can domdashfrom opening Angelman syndrome clinics at major teaching hospitals to the Biennial Conferences that balance research medical care science and day-to-day living strategies at the family level to funding groundbreaking research the ASF is making a difference in the lives of our loved ones with Angelman syndromerdquo

Welcome our new Board membersPlease join the Angelman Syndrome Foundation in welcoming two fathers to individuals with AS to the Board of Directors

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Dr Harry Angelman

1915 ndash 1996

Dr Harry Angelman was an English physician

who identified what is now known as Angelman

Syndrome

Dr Angelman was born in Birkenhead England

He was an enthusiast for the language and

country of Italy

He first observed three children who were

unrelated but showed similar symptoms of

severe intellectual delay stiff jerky gait lack of

speech seizures motor disorders and happy

demeanors

Then while vacationing in Italy he observed an

oil painting calledhellip A Boy with a Puppet by the

renaissance artist Giovanni Francesco Caroto at

the Castelvecchio museum in Verona

Reminded of the children Dr Angelman

published a paper in 1965 that described what

he called ldquopuppet childrenrdquo At this time his

paper was not immediately recognized as

important

It wasnrsquot until 1982 when Charles A Williams

and Jaime L Frias of the department of

Pediatrics Division of Genetics University of

Florida College of Medicine Gainesville

submitted a paper to the American Journal of

Medical Genetics reporting studies of six

patients and comparing their data to those from

previous reports - severe developmental delay

ldquopuppet-likerdquo gait craniofacial abnormalities

and frequent episodes of laughter that it became

clear the syndrome was more common than

previously thought They proposed the name of

this disorder be changed to Angelman

Syndrome

The History of Angelman Syndrome

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Background As we all prepare for a new start in 2014 ideas and plans are being generated by individual

organizations around the world to celebrate International Angelman Daymdashour communitys global day of awareness This young initiative is the result of a lsquovirtual lsquogroup of organizations an informal lsquocollectiversquo

that demonstrates a spirit of global unity and collaborative support

Through 2012 national reps were gathered from around the world for this collective 23 organizations

voted for a suitable date and logo and by the time the inaugural day arrived 35 organizations were on board The number involved continues to grow and networking now occurs frequently and fluidly between

more organizations support groups parents medical experts and researchers

Organizations are invited to work together for our common cause together we have a stronger voice

together we have more resources to share together we can accelerate AS research International Angelman Day reflects this camaraderie and promotes all that is Angelman Syndromemdashthe bad side and

the good It serves to generate much needed funds strengthen ties across borders and open doors to

future collaborations within our AS community

Reasons for choosing

FEBRUARY 15th

February is International

Rare Disease month (RDD

falls on Feb 2829th)

It is also quite sweet and appropriate that it is so

close to Valentinersquos Day because the affectionate

demeanour so characteristic of this syndrome displays

such genuine unconditional

love

Link to world map showing

the 35 Organizations that

participated in IAD 2013

The number 15 relates to

t h e a f f e c t e d 1 5 t h

chromosome

The purpose of INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY is to

Raise awareness worldwide of the condition

Mobilise people to action amp encourage fundraising for the organisations in each country

Promote research and educational resources in each country

Remember those people with Angelman Syndrome who are no

longer with us

ldquoAnything anyone can

do to raise awareness is

greatly appreciated

No gesture too small

No such thing as the

insignificant

word or deedrdquo

- Colin Farrell

Things you can do for International Angelman Day

Raise awareness

Spread the word about AS in your own communitymdashat

schools churches workplaces sportssocial groups

etc Hold fun events that could generate media interest

Contact your local papers to report on your events Display the logo on T-shirts button badges caps etc

Hand out informative brochures about your own local AS organisations and support groups

Fundraise

Raise funds for a registered organisation you wish to

supportmdashfor AS research or education resources Be vigilant with good fundraising ethics to protect the

honour of this venture

A WEBSITE is being constructed

and will be launched soon Stay

updated by visiting the official IAD

facebook PAGE

h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

InternationalAngelmanDay

++++++++

Share ideas and discussions in

the informal facebook GROUP h t t ps w w w f a c e b o o k c o m

groups112026595597947

+++++++

An up-to-date list of Angelman

Organisations and support groups

around the world can be found

here

angelmannetwork international -

networks

+++++++

International Angelman Day is also

a multi-cultural event that

celebrates our diversity as it

seeks to promote unity across the

global AS community

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Otorcross

wwwangelmannetworkcom

Fundraising mdash and other side-effects

All support organizations have

their own formal set of aims and objectives programmes and plans mdash and all require funds to action them Fundraising involves time and effort which has the potential to lead to more stress However It is often intriguing and sometimes uncanny how a good fundraiser is able to generate many other spin-offs that are often unexpected but ultimately positive for all involved

In New Zealand our population is just under 45million It has become a clicheacute to say that the lsquosix degrees of separationrsquo that supposedly connect every human being on the planet are reduced to two in lsquoGodzonersquo Most of us have either met the Prime Minis-ter know an All Black or have a friend or family member who knows a NZ lsquocelebrityrsquo This works to our advantage when raising national awareness about AS In this vein The Angelman Network is fortunate to have many enthusias-tic families across the country who have initiated a variety of very successful enjoyable and different fundraisers all with a Kiwi flavour and wonderful lsquoside-effectsrsquo Apart from the funds raised they have served to distribute our AS informa-tion raise awareness encourage local community support generate a wider public interest in AS and strengthen our networks In time this positive ripple effect will filter back to create helpful changes for our angels and families nation wide Our first IAD event triggered some creative celebratory initiatives that

involved angel-mufti days at schools and workplaces a formal movie night market stalls raffles and Trademe auctions Families were very proactive with the media result-ing in eight newspaper articles that reached out to thousands of readers across the country

In March Nadine Henderson facili-tated a hugely successful Charity Auction at her workrsquos annual confer-ence This brought in over $30K and spread awareness across Assurityrsquos nation-wide offices as well as to all the various businesses who had kindly donated goods

Laura Greenrsquos family live on a large farm in a rural district They love the outdoors and Motorcross and their unique Racing event for adults and children in honour of their angel Lexy was extremely well supported With an entry fee refreshments and raffles for sale it was a memorable family day that strengthened ties within their local community

Kathryn Cherie-Hope was inspired to organise a 15km Walkathon in her local district It was a well received social event that also promoted this powerful message

Kathrynrsquos informative article which appeared in a local newspaper and online and was recently spotted by Attitude TV who are interested in an interview in the New Yearmdashan opportunity to share her story as an angel-mum with the nation Looking back at 2013 it is very encouraging to see how much groundwork has been covered in diverse social sectors through these family fundraising endeav-ours and we thank our families for that We will soon be depositing the takings from our Christmas Collection Buckets - a very fruitful Shopping Mall fundraiser made possible by Neil and Louise Alcock

On track with achieving our aims and objectives 2014 is the year The Angelman Network proposes to focus on a pro-active plan for our involvement in AS Research lsquoHope reigns Supremersquo

[Ursula Cranmer Chairperson ]

ldquoWe have chosen a 15 km walk because it is the 15th chromosome that is affected in AS but also to symbolise the difficulty and length of time it takes our AS children to learn to walk and the strength and determination it takes to get thererdquo

- Kathryn Cherie-Hope

Angel Kaya with donated goods

Kathryn with angel Joel

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

The Gift of Helplessness

There was a Meeting in Heaven Several angels and other souls were present along with the usual Council members It was time to prepare some souls for their journeys on Earth Several Council members spoke about various topics in hopes that these unique souls would truly grasp the missions that they were about to undertake ldquoWhen you first emerge in your physical form you will still feel very connected to This Side which ironically they call the Other Siderdquo (A low chuckle ran through the room) ldquoAs time goes by ndash and it goes by very differently from the way it passes here ndash you will find that the fine line between Here and There becomes thicker harder to penetrate Your memory of this time and this place will grow dim until it becomes merely a notion that you actually ldquobelongrdquo somewhere else ndash somewhere better This happens to all souls that inhabit physical bodies You wont even notice it happeningrdquo ldquoBut in your cases there will be a difference Because of the extraordinary lives that you will live the fine line wont be quite as thick as it is for most humans You will much more easily maintain contact with angels and spirit beings and This Side There is a reason for this ndash not only will your needs be different during your lifetimes but your missions there are unique as well Hence the blessing of never feeling completely out of touch with True Reality Most humans end up believing that Earth life is Reality In fact This Side is Reality ndash Earth life is Fiction You the few will be able to recall this when your lives are difficult and your trials numerous This blessing we grant unto you allrdquo As the meeting wore on the time eventually came for each soul to receive a Personal Blessing before departing the vast Glory they knew so well for the unknown and untried territory of Earth life One by one they sat in the Seat of Blessing and received the Gifts that that would help them most in life They understood that this happens to all souls ndash but that their Gifts would be unique and enhanced ndash magnified if you will Finally there was one soul left to bless and send on his way Three angels who were magnificent beyond description stood behind the Seat of Blessing and gestured to the soul who approached with humility and grace He was so excited to be on his way to Earth life and the experiences that awaited him there He sat humbly in the Seat and bowed his head slightly as he felt the angels lay their hands upon his head ndash the Chief Angel among them speaking in a deep gentle yet powerful voice The angel continued

A touching story by Karen De La Fuente

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

ldquoYou shall be called Jonathan which means Gift from God To this family you will be truly a gift of the Most High Your mother has been told that she is barren ndash can have no children ever You will be a miracle to her and to your father - who chose your name when he was still a boy in anticipation of a son to carry on his name They will rejoice at your birth and you will feel that joy As time passes your parents will realize that you are very different from the son they were expect-ing to have Beautiful yes Very special to them yes You shall grow and be joyful but you shall not carry on your fathers name You will not walk You will not speak No matter how many Earth years pass you will remain a virtual babe in arms ldquoI give you the Gift of Helplessnessrdquo The soul wondered to himself ldquothe Gift of Helplessness What kind of Gift is that I saw others receiving much better Giftsrdquo ldquoThis Gift with which I endow you is mysterious and poorly understood You are aware of the Contract that you have affirmed that you would be born with special needs not common to most humans You have agreed to enter Earth life in this state with all of the accompanying trials and virtues that it entails The Gift of Helplessness is one of the greatest Gifts While you are unable to become independent or live what they consider a normal life you will be giving of yourself at all times Your Helplessness will aid not only your family but also everyone you meet in giving them an opportunity to grow and develop far beyond the scope they can imagine Your Gift will allow others to choose to assist you and in so doing learn extraordinary lessons that are hidden to most humans They will learn what is truly important They will learn how to give service unconditionally They will learn Sacrifice in ways that others can only dream of These priceless lessons come through your Gift of Helplessness and the sacrifice that you are making in trusting them to see to your every need just as all do in infancy ldquoAlong with the Gift of Helplessness I endow you with Joy Joy in the smallest of things Joy in living an Earth life devoid of worry stress temptations of the flesh crises of faith and fear You cannot begin to understand what it means to feel fear ndash and you will never ever have to ldquoIt gives me joy beyond measure to give you your final Gift This Gift is given to a very select few who inhabit the Earth I now bestow upon you the Gift of Returning to Glory ndash guaranteed Your Gift of Helplessness assures that you will return Home to This Side no matter how long or short your Earth life is no matter what occurs during that lifetime no matter what your circumstances may be while you are there You shall return whole complete unscarred and unsoiled from sin or errorrdquo Jonathan felt the angel grin broadly even though he could not see him He also felt a warmth and peace the likes of which he had never known Gone was his confusion about his Gifts Gone was his concern about whether or not he really could live up to his Life Contract He knew ndash knew ndash that he would take these Gifts and give his parents their family their friends and even strangers to them everything he could to help them achieve the highest level of Life possible

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Just as the angels lifted their hands from his head and he opened his eyes a smaller more feminine soul approached him His best friend on This Side How did she come to be here at the end of the Meeting Well no matter He rushed into her arms for a hug filled with excite-ment about entering his time on Earth As they embraced the angel spoke one more time

ldquoWe have noticed that you and this wise soul have spent much time together here in love and devotion She has affirmed her Life Contract recently as well and will be departing in about two Earth years time for life on Earth as wellrdquo They exchanged huge grins of shared joy at the news ldquoJonathan meet your sister At her request she has Contracted to watch over you and be your Earth life companion She will help you in your journey on Earth This she does willingly and gleefullyrdquo Jonathan and his soon-to-be sister hugged each other tightly and jumped up and down with excitement Oh To share his Earth time with his best friend Surely she would make his sacrifices easier to bear his lonely silences ring with laughter and his times of desperation seem like mere moments The angel touched Jonathan on the shoulder and his best friend released him from her embrace ldquoIt is timerdquo

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Angels in Action Celebrating the Abilities of our Angels

By Angela Humble Tucker Mom to Lukas age 15

Itrsquos hard to believe that we have a 15

year old son Our son does not do all

the typical things that a 15 year old

would be doing such as video

games hanging out with friends

talking on the phone (or I guess

texting) or competing in High School

sports Instead we have a 15 year

old boy who has Angelman

Syndrome which brings with it

limitations such as non-verbal

limited mobility cognitive delays and

more issues that would take up too

much space to list

Our 15 year old boy Lukas however

smiles more than a typical 15 year

old boy Lukas is a 10th grader at

Shakopee High School and is a

brother to a one year old Brody

Lukas enjoys people being out in

the community (everyone knows his

name) and has a hug desire to help

others Overall he is a great kid who

has been dealt with many

challenges

Our lives changed greatly June 23rd

2006 in more ways that I can

express at this time As parents we

are left with many tough choices and

those choices are greatly impacted

further when you have a child with a

disability We made a decision on

June 23rd to take away our sons

wheelchair and just encourage him to

walk and not rely on this chair any

longer At this time he was only able

to walk about 20 steps before

needing to rest

Back in 2005 our son Lukas had

surgery to release the tendons in the

back of his legs in an effort to get him

walking Lukas had never walked

despite efforts of Botox therapy and

encouragement This was essential

our one shot at getting him up and

about With the success of the

surgery and lots of hard work we

decided to just take away the chair

and never look back As parents I

think we can say we got this one

right Our 8 year old boy at the time

learned to experience life in a whole

new way

It was not an easy road to get Lukas

to walk successfully there have been

many bumps bruises and arguments

along the way In 2008 we begin to

get Lukas involved in as many

activities that we could find to keep

him moving and motivated He

started to play for the West Metro

Miracle League baseball What a

great opportunity for him to interact

with others and to learn to be active

I remember the first couple of years

Lukas played baseball once he made

it to home base he looked at the

crowd and clapped his hands as in a

way for him to communicate to the

fans to cheer for him The first few

years it would take him a while to get

around the bases Now with some

encouragement we can get a little run

out of him Lukas has been playing

for the Miracle League for the last six

years He can now hit the ball without

a tee I highly recommend this

program if you have one in your

neighborhood itrsquos been life changing

for Lukas

A few years ago I signed Lukas up for

soccer through the adaptive soccer

program at the school district and he

played for one year There were too

many rules for Lukas to play in the

program After working with our local

soccer association we found out that

Minnesota has a Top Soccer program

for kids with different disabilities Top

Soccer does not have as many rules

and different activities to meet the

needs for each player The soccer

association and I brought this to our

city and Lukas is now a soccer player

as well He has been playing soccer

for the last 3 years

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Lukas also participates in Special

Olympics bowling and bocce ball

Lukas especially enjoys the

bowling and has his own Chicago

Bears bowling ball

For Lukas these sports programs

are keeping him connected in the

community and making friends As

parents itrsquos about those same

things however we are trying to

ensure that he is staying activity

and on his feet

When Lukas is not playing a sport

you can often find him at a local

high school game such as

basketball or football Lukas enjoys

watching as much as he

participates He currently has

created a great relationship with

the High School girlsrsquo basketball

team They are all so thrilled to

have Lukas at the game and they

make the effort to come say hi to

him at each game Attending these

different games for Lukas is

another way for him to be

connected with classmates

teachers and community

members

Lukas is also attends the local

STARS club which is an

opportunity for teens in with

disabilities to ldquohangrdquo out in the

community with their peers Lukas

loves and looks forward to each of

these events Needless to say we

are very busy taking Lukas to and

from different activities but I really

wouldnrsquot have it any other way

Lukas has made us very proud to

see how much he has

accomplished over the years in his

ability to walk (we are almost at a

good run) He is able to interact in

so many different ways than when

he was in a wheelchair There is

always the concern with the

doctors and us that one day Lukas

will get too tall and will again need

the wheelchair so at this time we are

grabbing at every opportunity to keep

him active

As a non-verbal kid this brings about so

many challenges questions and

behaviors Lukas has his own language

that we as parents can understand

most of the time Communicating to the

outside world is much more difficult In

hopes to close that gap we have Lukas

use an IPad for communication He is

currently using the MyTalk app and is

pretty successful for the most part

Anytime you have a device speak for

you your language is limited

What is great about the MyTalk app is

that we customize this for Lukas with

his pictures favorite things what he

does in school and etc The IPad for

him is much more portable now that he

is not in a wheelchair Lukas is

motivated by electronics so this was a

good choice for us I tend to find the

biggest challenge for Lukas is when

others donrsquot know how to use the app or

know that the app is there This creates

frustrations and behaviors for Lukas

Lukas can also communicate using

some sign language and by answering

yes or no questions In 2010 Lukas

finally spoke his first work which was

Mama Trust me when I say this

completely melted my heart and I still

love to hear it even if itrsquos a thousand

times a day Lukas continues to go to

speech therapy Often times Irsquom at a

loss with communicating with Lukas Itrsquos

just breaks my heart when he is sick

and just canrsquot communicate to me what

is wrong Or holidays and birthdays

when he canrsquot communicate a present

that he would like I do worry about the

future and Lukasrsquo communication needs

when we are not around Having a child

with Angelman Syndrome or a disability

is not something I imaged in my life

There are so many struggles that come

with journey we are on The struggles

are truly only known by those who have

or are walking in our shoes The

older Lukas gets the harder the

struggles seem to be Itrsquos

amazing to me how much before

Lukas we took for granted Now

we treasure every moment big or

small and are so thankful for what

he can do We are so very

blessed to have this sweet boy

(teenager) in our lives to show us

the little blessings that we would

have probably just taken for

granted

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

THERAsurf is an amazing organization My son Finn thoroughly enjoyed his surf experience - he spent the

entire time grinning and giggling with utter joy But the real gift of THERAsurf is much more important than one wonderful day - watching from the beach as one of the surfers paddles out into the ocean with your child and then catches a wave is the most awe-inspiring and emotional experience imaginable With each wave barriers and limitations given by doctors are smashed and you are left with the realization that given proper support the opportunities and possibilities for your child are endless Thank you THERAsurf for a life-changing experienceldquo --Tina Thompson

We help children and their families access the stoke of surf culture and aspire to create a can-do

environment in a world full of limitations

wwwtherasurforg

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

History

Angelman Syndrome Belgium is an association

which was founded in 2011 by some parents who

have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

Aims

Our main goal is to reach the Belgium families

that have a child with the Angelman Syndrome

so we can share practical information support

each other and share as well up to date scientific

information

Activities

Yearly we organize a couple of events during

which we aim to provide a nice relaxing day for

the families Also brothers sisters and grandpa-

rents of the Angelman child are very welcome to

join on these days Our organization tries as

well to raise awareness of the angelman syndro-

me to physicians and caregivers Also scientific

research is supported by our association

FOLLOW US ON

Parents Organisation

A N G E L M A N S Y N D RO M E B E L G I U M

httpstwittercomangelmanSB httpswwwfacebookcomAngelmansyndroom wwwangelmansyndroombe Postangelmansyndroombe

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Aromatherapy and Angels By Shari Caspert Mom of 17 year old Matthew

Sleep and Stress Management using Essential Oils for Angels Teachers Caretakers and ldquoYourdquo

I was introduced to Young

Living Essential Oils three

years ago by another special

needs Mom our son Matthew

was 14 at the timehellip

I really had no experience with

essential oils or aromatherapy

I always thought that we lived a

pretty healthy life style ate

well exercised amp tried to get a

good nights sleep - tricky with

our Angelman Kids

We are now a family that lives

on Stress Away Deep Relief

Lavender Peace amp Calming

Frankincense Lemon Thieves

Ningxia Peppermint and more

This is my everyday survival

kit

I am sure that you are

wondering How can this help

me

A little cautious I began our

journey my first move was to

rid toxic chemicals out of

Matthews environmentNo

more Purell Antibacterial

soaps toxic cleaning products

shampoo or toothpaste I had no

idea that these everyday items

were compromising Matthewrsquos

life disrupting hormones and

causing inflammation in his

already busy body gut and

brain

Whatrsquos in your Environment

I replaced everything in our

home with ldquoThievesrdquo a blend

of Clove Cinnamon

Eucalyptus Rosemary amp

Lemon oil You canrsquot control every

environment our Angels are in but I

continued with Matthewrsquos school

where he spends 6 hours a day

There he works on Adult Daily

Living skills so I provide his own

special non toxic ADL kit -

Thieves hand sanitizer foaming

soap toothpaste Ningxia (an

antioxidant drink) No more

Triclosan anti bacterial products

boxed fruit juices and other

products loaded with harmful

chemicals

My next step was to diffuse and

topically apply different oils

(Therapeutic grade only You must

be very careful where you get them

from) Not all essential oils actually

contain therapeutic and healing

properties Many oilslotions found

at general health food stores contain

additives or chemicals and may

contain plant lifeblood to some

degree but they have not been

processed in a way to guarantee

therapeutic constituencies that can

heal Thatrsquos why it is important to

know how the oil is processed and

what claims can be made for using

it

I started with the basics

Lavender I started diffusing

Lavender in Matthewrsquos room

every night an hour before he

went to bed and he slept so did

we This has helped to reduce

stress for all of us If you are

wondering the fun cool air

diffuser with the light and steam

(see photo above) does not

remain unattended in his room

Too much fun for sure I also put

a few drops of Lavender in his

Epsom salt bath and on his

pillow so it diffuses all night

Lavender has helped us to

Relax Stay Calm Breathe and

Heal

Our next oil was Peace and

Calming The name alone

hooked me This is a blend of

tangerine orange blue tansy

pachouli amp ylang ylang The

sense of smell is a powerful one

and this helps with anxiety

behavior and to take the edge off

us all Much to our surprise this

started to help not only Matthew

but his bus aides personal aide

and our family

I apply Thieves on hisour feet

everyday For those of you into

reflexology there are incredible

benefits a conversation for

another dayI like applying this

with a roller cap as I have to be

fast with him as he is always on

the move I diffuse amp spray

Thieves to kill any airborne mold

spores and germs No one got

sick last year

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Next I changed Matthews drinks Who knew that

Pediasure wasnrsquot the ldquobestrdquo ever as per his

pediatrician He now drinks Young Livingrsquos Ningxia

Red containing Wolfberryrsquos Lemon Orange and

numerous oilsThis has helped his immune system

and helps to support his digestive health

The greatest surprise of all is that we started on this

Holistic journey for Matthew and it has changed our

entire home how we live how we reduce our stress

levels and deal with aches amp pains

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

wwwYLivewellcom

Quick tips

Purification -Diffuse and spray in your home car

office rather than toxic air fresheners like glade kills

petrochemicals in the air

Peppermint helps with digestion headaches

extreme heatto name a few

Look for my tips in your next Angelman Today

At 17 you realize that there is no magic answer

but a combination of strategies that will help your

Angel families and caregivers Aromatherapy

removing toxins changing Matthewrsquos diet and

replacing our medicine cabinet with plant based

products has significantly changed our lives I now

help educate other special needs families

We learn from each other how to help balance our

lives both physically amp emotionally

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

The Israeli Angelman Syndrome Foundation was established in

2012 with the aim of consolidating the efforts carried out in Israel

to improve the lives of people with AS by promoting early

diagnosis research treatment and training The foundation is

designed to provide services to all Israeli children with AS and

their families

We seek to advance the awareness understanding and treatment

of AS with the ultimate goal of finding a cure We offer

consultancy and mental support for AS families We hold social

gatherings for AS families in holidays and weekends with the hope

of giving these families support and hope To this end we feel it is

important to cooperate with AS organizations around the globe

share databases and information and actively participate in

research and trials

The Israeli AS clinic operates within the Pediatric Neurology

institute of the Sheba Medical Center in the city of Tel-Aviv

Children with AS are treated by a dedicated team of physicians

including a psychiatrist and a nutritionist led by a pediatric

neurologist The clinic applies a multidisciplinary approach to

address the main clinical issues of AS including seizure and

movement disorders speech difficulties sleep disorders

hyperactivity and attention disorders in addition to other

behavioral and Orthopedic concerns The Sheba AS clinic aims to

conduct a dedicated research and clinical trials on AS and to

collaborate with AS centers worldwid

Over the last year we have held two scientific symposiums with

various presenters in the areas of neurology speech therapy and

psychology as well as lawyers specializing in social security

procedures

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Chocolate Hemp Milk (Excellent alternative to dairy for those with allergy sensitivity and congestion)

One cup of hemp seeds12 cup of filter water I

use green tea

2 drops of vanilla stevia

One drop of vanilla flavor

Blend everything in a food processor for a

couple of minutes

Filter or not in a cheesecloth I keep the hemp

seeds for later I mix them with yogurt or in his

soup or with vegetables

One 12 tsp of organic raw cocoa unsweetened

About 15 carbs

One tsp of coconut oil

Mix everything together

Enjoy

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

90 Improvement in Seizures

My interview with Dr Ron Thibert from my blog in

December 2012

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with the

Angelman communities very own trusted

Neurologists Dr Ron Thibert

He is the Co-Director of the Angelman Syndrome Clinic

at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston His

specialties include Neurology and Epilepsy Service

Many families in our community travel from many other

states just to see him He really understand how to

provide the best treatment for our kids Angelman

Syndrome is so rare and when it comes to their brain

and seizures our kids need the best They need

someone who has experience to draw from when

deciding the best treatments and medications

Posted here is a YouTube video of Dr Thibert in an

interview talking about seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome and effective Nutritional therapies

like Low Glycemic Index treatment (LGIT) and the

Ketogenic diet Dr Thibert has been a long time

supporter of dietary therapies in controlling seizures He

has seen the proof in EEG reports for many of his

patients In fact in one of my earlier posts entitle Stop

Seizures with 3 Nutritional Therapies I shared with you

the story of young Jace who has not had a seizure but

shares in the typical AS abnormal EEG showed

improvement after beginning the GFCF diet His mom

told me he is now considered to have a Normal

EEG Thats Fantastic

Dr Thibert and his team including Dr Elizabeth Thiele

(both are members of the Scientific Advisory Commity

for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation) and Heidi

Pfeifer RD LD Nutritionist were able to launch a clinical

study to determine the efficacy of the Low Glycemic

Index Treatment in reducing seizures in individuals with

Angelman Syndrome In July 2012 the results were in

and published in Epilepsia and on the Angelman

Syndrome newsletter

The results were better than we had expected said Dr

Thibert 80 reduction in seizures and 90 reduction

after 1 year and ALL experienced no significant adverse

effects 5 of the 6 individuals remained on the diet said

Thibert

I asked Dr Thibert who would be the best

candidate for this dietary therapy

He said Anyone with 1 failed antiepileptic

medication

How does one get their child on the program

Patients may come and see me for an initial visit

we can run the necessary tests to monitor medication

and a few other things and they can consult with our

dietician Heidi Pfeifer or transfer to a local dietitian

closer to them Food Allergies will be tested Then see

me on a yearly basis Labs should be monitored every

3 months which include Electrolytes Cholesterol

Liver panel Carnitine and Vitamin D

My son is on the Gluten Free Dairy Free diet how

does that compare to LGIT

They are actually quite similar when you take out

the gluten your are removing a large portion of the

carbs like pasta and bread which will lower your

glycemic index The LGIT consists of high fats and

meats and cheese are staples of the diet

Once the individual is on the diet how long before

you can see results

It may take a few months to kick in The diet must

be consistent and limit carbs to 40-60 grams per day

Who would not be a good candidate for this diet

It is not recommended for those on a G-

Tube Another option for them would be the Ketogenic

diet There is a product called KetoCal and it can be

used to assist with the ketogenic diet

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Why dont more doctors suggest dietary

therapy as a first and safe option for seizure

treatment

My guess is lack of awareness and maybe they

do not want to change what they have always

done which is prescribe medication the evidence

is there to support dietary therapy We are looking

into preparing a package of material to help

educate other dietitians

Here is the publication available on PubMed

Dr Thibert is hopeful that this information will get

out into our community and more people will use

the Low Glycemic Index Treatment to reduce

seizures 80-90 reduction is astonishing In my

humble opinion if your child with Angelman

Syndrome or any seizure condition for that matter

is still having seizures you should try this diet

It breaks my heart every time I hear of someone

in the hospital with suffering with seizures We

see the same thing every time Doctors dont

know the cause they check levels of medication

in the body or do an EEG and in the end they just

prescribe more medicine Been there done that

too many times with Nathan It wasnt until I took

his diet into my own hands armed with the right

information an excellent team of physicians that

understand the importance of diet and made it

happen You can too Dr Thibert is willing to

help each and every one of you

Contact Dr Thibert Office Phone 617-726-6540

Pediatric Epilepsy Program 175 Cambridge

Street Suite 340 Boston MA 02114-2796

Another person who is willing to help is Angel

Mamma Sybille Bellamy She has created a

facebook page dedicated to what she is calling

the Angelman Syndrome Diet She shares the

recipes she uses for her son Max who has been on

the diet for years She also shares important dietary

info and articles

For an example Sybille has listed a meal plan of 1

day for Max on LGIT

Morning breakfast 2 tbs steel cut oatmeal cook in

coconut cream 1 table spoon of manna coconut

1tbs of coconut oil 1tbs of mix seeds-hemp chia

sesame flax seeds and 1 tbs of walnut butter

Drink is herbal tea with coconut oil

At school Max drinks herbal tea with MCT and a lot

of water with lemon juice

Lunch 3 tbs of sheep yogurt 2 tbs of grated apple

1 tsp grated carrot 12 avocado 1tbs almond butter

1tsp of MCT

Nurse give him MCT (medium chain

triglyceridearound) 2 pm 5ml at school

Afternoon snack home made almond milk 1tsp

coconut flour cinnamon and 4 strawberries

Dinner Vegetable soup- kale spinach carrots

onions with one egg grass fed butter goat cheese

He likes to drink before bed- coconut milk with 12

tsp of coconut flour Max drinks a lot of water

I hope you find this info helpful on your journey of

helping your loved ones achieve the healthiest lives

possible We may not yet have a cure for AS but we

have these therapeutic diets to help us against life

threatening seizures

ASK DR THIBERT

Does your Angel have seizures

Are you interested in starting the LGIT but have some questions

Here is your chance to get those questions answered In the next edition of Angelman Today Dr Thibert will

answer your questions about the Low Glycemic Index Treatment

There are a few ways you can participate Email your question to contactangelmantodaycom

Write on our Facebook page or

Tag angelmantoday on Twitter AskdrT

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Tel 670 90 90 07infoangelman-asaorgwwwangelman-asaorg

The Angelman Syndrome Association (ASA) is a

non-profit organisation founded in Barcelona in

October 1996 on the initiative of a group of

concerned parents with children affected with this

syndrome

Our association is comprised of an approximate

number of 200 affected families dotted around the

country

Our association was formed for the purpose of

enhancing communication among the families

FAMILY MEETINGS

Every year we celebrate the family annual meeting to

be held in the different autonomous communities In

2013 this meeting was held in Torrejoacuten de Ardoz

(Madrid) During these encounters we organise

leisure and fun activiites for the children as well as

professional conferences on education medical social

or legal issues

This way awareness is raised by sharing opinions and

experiences among parents and keeping in contact

with caregivers and medical professionals in the

Angelman Syndrome

providing support counselling and information and

fostering research for a deeper knowledge at all levels

on the AS that will allow affected individuals to attain a

better quality of life Mainly concentrated on the

purpose of supporting the families of affected

individuals particularly those newly diagnosed we

have a supporting family network around the country

who voluntarily provide support and advice to parents

who require guidance and information

Moreover we keep in contact with other international

Angelman Syndrome Associations to foster the

exchange and sharing of information as well as

collaboration in all the different fields

This year we have hosted

Dr Weeber and also Dr Mayor

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Main events 2012 and 2013

MAIN ACTIVITIES

An intense activity has been carried out by ASA during the last year thanks to the great commitment

of its members Different events have been organised with the aim of raising awareness and funds

for research We have equally participated in a large number of events or activities organised by

other associations and institutions where we helped setting the tables for the merchandise selling in

order to raise funds

RAISED FUNDS ALLOCATION

The purpose of all our activities is raising awareness of the

Angelman Syndrome and raising funds for the actual

management of the association as well as to foster

research

This way the funds raised from the old mobile collection

are monthly sent to the FAST in order to finance Dr

Edwin Weeberrsquos research Part of the assets were

allocated to contribute to a clinical trial with minocycline

which is likely to be initiated soon in a spanish hospital

ASA would collaborate with that hospital in case it

required a money contribution or with the member

families who would take part in the trial

There are also a certain amount of funds being allocated

to a research that is being carried out in Spain by Dr Ugo

Mayor in the CIC Biogune Center

PROFESSIONAL CONGRESSES

In 2012 a university congress was organised

inValladolid on the Angelman Syndrome We are

aiming to host another professional congress in

early 2014 This encounter seeks to advance the

awareness of Angelman Syndrome among those

professionals who take care of our children

(physiotherapists speech therapists psychomotor

specialists special education teachers etc) to help

them with how to deal with the management of

children affected with this syndrome

Our main fund raising campaigns

1- Old mobile phone collection for recycling them for trade

That was a very successful initiative in which over 68000 mobile

phones were collected in a yearrsquos time

2- Handmade product selling produced by the mothers mem-

bers of the association such as bracelets necklaces earrings and

other jewlery but also biscuits and different items

3- Awareness rubber wristband selling

Moreover a large number of other events have been carried out

during the last year (bazaars sport events charity events and

festivals etc) especially the Padel Tournament held in February

on the occasion of the International Angelman Syndrome Day

where the raised funds were enterely donated to the FAST

(Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics)

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

The Board of Directors and the Community Relations Committee of CASS are pleased to advise that the Registration Booklet for the 13th International Conference of the Canadian Angelman Syndrome Society Unlocking the Possibilities is now available Conference Committee Co-chairs Tim Klein and Chris du Plessis look forward to welcoming delegates to Ottawa from 23 to 25 July 2014 to hear presentations from an outstanding slate of speakers For more information visit httpwwwangelmancanadaorgconferences See you in Ottawa

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Angelman Syndrome and Sleeping Disorder By Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Angelman syndrome children

and adults have serious sleeping

disorders Apart from seizures

problems it is one of the most

difficult aspect of the syndrome

to live with

Some angels sleep only a couple

of hours a night some fall asleep

easily but wake up very early

and some fall asleep very late

and sleep late in the morning

This can disturb the school

schedule or therapy sessions and

it is exhausting physically and

psychologically for the

parents and caretakers

The majority of angels

do not take naps and

when they fall asleep

it is usually late in the

afternoon which

disturbs the usual

sleep pattern In order

to increase the chance

for our angels to fall

asleep at a normal time

it is very important to

keep them physically active and

intellectually stimulated during

the day

For Max del+ 12 years old we

have a very strict schedule

During the week we wake him

up everyday at the same time

After that he has breakfast and

takes the bus to school His

schedule at school is very full

They rotate all the typical

therapies (OT PT speech

therapy) all day and he is

physically engaged either

standing or walking throughout

the day

When he gets home from school

He has a meal playtime or

therapy and an early dinner

After that he takes an Epsom

salt bath with dead-sea salt just

before going to bed he has

another meal

ldquoGo to sleep little babyrdquo

I believe our children are very

sensitive to our mood and they

can very easily detect our

emotions It is very important to

be calm and quiet when we put

our children to bed As soon as I

put him to bed I turn off the light

immediately and tell him it is

time to go to sleep I also use an

essential oil diffuser a white

sound machine and a night wave

assistant Keep brothers sisters

and pets away during this

specific time in order to avoid

any stimulation You can do a

feet or hand massage with

coconut oil and essential oil

Max sleeps in a homemade

enclosed bed He loves the

cocooning feeling It feels safe to

him and it is his private area He

kicks us out of his bed as soon he

is in it

Keep the room temperature low at

64 degree F If your child pushes

away blankets use a fleece pajama

on top of a cotton one You can

also have them wear cotton socks

Use dark drapes for the windows

and be sure to keep the window

open during the day to renew

oxygen in the room

Follow your usual routine with

melatonin or other sleeping aid

Max does not take anything Keep

a cup of water or herbal tea

available for your angel

A lot of children have

snoring problems at

night The low room

temperature and a

humidifier will help the

situation

It is normal for children

to have enlarged

adenoids and tonsils and

for that reason they

snore Those glands are

part of the lymphatic

system Both help

protect a person from infection by

trapping germs entering in the

mouth and nose Our angels are

very curious and explore a lot

they put their fingers in their mouth

and drool which leaves them

expose to germs

Nutrition is a key factor in your

childrsquos quality of sleep The other

reason for enlarge adenoids is a

chronic inflammatory reaction to

certain food This very common

intolerance concerns sugar milk

and gluten

Choose kefir or plain organic

yogurt in which lactose and

proteins are already broken down

by beneficial bacteria If you can

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

choose goat product or

unsweetened non dairy products

over cow products

Most of the processed foods contain

preservative and coloring avoid all

of them too

The LGIT diet will help a lot for

angels who wake up at night The

complex carbohydrates with the

perfect ratio of fat and protein help

temper blood sugar fluctuation and

with the frequent small meals it can

help reduce GERD

Children can wake up at night when

they have hypoglycemia It is a

natural brain alert to wake up if the

blood sugar level is too low When

this happen try to feed your angel

with a nutritious meal A mix of

coconut cream with peanut butter or

seeds an avocado or a drink with

warm coconut milk and coconut oil

with a tsp of coconut flour

It happens with Max from time to

time It can be the result of a growth

spur a very busy day or a change in

temperature

A good night sleep is essential for

the brain

Many studies are calling sleep the

detoxifier of the brain We all know

the effect of a bad or poor night of

sleep Our children are prone to

seizures and the lack of sleep

lowers their immune system making

them more fragile in case of

infection

I hope these little tips can help you

to regulate your angels sleep

We do also have a plan B and C

Use a DVR in the bedroom with a

timer and keep your earplugs within

reach

Walnuts are full of protein fat vitamins and minerals

-excellent brain food

Chop finely in a food processor and sprinkle over

cereal or yogurt for those that do not chew very well

Always check food allergies to nuts Do not give if

allergic or sensitive to nuts

Wonder why many of our Angels love bananas

They are rich in

potassium also a good

source of vitamin B6

which is needed to make

melatonin

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

ANGELS WEEK OFF

Since our daughters Angelman

Syndrome diagnosis in 2007 my

wife and I have embraced the

community of people who share

our journey Weve been

fortunate to have had helping

hands around us when we needed

them Weve tried to be those

hands to others whenever and

wherever we could The road is

difficult for caregivers of people

with special needs and it never

really ends

In 2010 we started our own non-

profit 501c3 The Angel Wings

Foundation The truth is we held

and hosted so many benefits and

contributed to so many other

non-profits we simply needed a

secure and transparent place for

money to go while we decided

how to direct it The first few

Bella Bashes were accounting

nightmares Money was

changing hands and we wanted

people to know where it was

going and how it was being used

I have literally had people walk

up to me after a concert and just

hand me a wad of cash to apply

toward Angelman Syndrome I

dont like having those kinds of

grey areas in my life

Our little foundation doesnt take

in a lot of money and we dont

actively raise a lot of money We

do a few benefits a year and we

try to keep our support as local as

possible Weve funded therapy

programs at the Vanderbilt

Kennedy Center Weve helped

Tennessee residents with IEPs and

other services Weve made

awareness videos and contributed

to all the other Angelman

Syndrome related foundations We

attend every Angelman function

we can get to and we help

wherever we can

In the coming years we intend on

refining our focus and expanding

our reach But we still think of

ourselves as just here to help The

larger Angelman foundations are

doing some amazing things and

breaking some much anticipated

new ground We are cheering

them on whole heartedly But in

the meantime while we all wait

on the next exciting breakthrough

or therapy and while we

continually connect with each

other to discuss everything from

recipes to bedtimes time slips

through our fingers and fatigue

sets in Days turn into months

then into years Sometimes we

as parents just need a break

Yolanda and I were discussing this

very thing this summer when we

kind of hit on an idea

We decided to offer something

through our foundation that

might be just the ticket for

someone Were giving away

what were calling an Angels

Week Off Were giving away a

vacation basically Three days

and three nights in San

Francisco at a five-star hotel

Then three days and three nights

at a music festival in Napa

Valley Its called Live In The

Vineyard and its three days and

nights of live music amazing

food and wine tastings Former

artists whove been at this event

include Alanis Morisette Lenny

Kravits Daughtry James Blunt

Zack Brown Band Plain White

Ts Colby Calait and the list

goes on and on and on The

event is spectacular and we can

think of nothing better than the

Napa Valley music and world

class wine to give two of our

fellow beleaguered Angelman

parents a chance to exhale and

recharge

Many Angelman parents have

never even been away from their

Angels for one night We

understand how difficult it might

be for some to trust a third party

Angels Week Off

Enter to Win

San Francisco CA Napa Valley CA

3 days 3 nights in San Francisco CA

Staying at a 5 Star Hotel

3 days 3 nights in Napa Valley CA

ldquoLive in the Vineyardrdquo Music Festival

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Angelman Today

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

from Best Buddies a representative

from Make A Wish and Lizzie Sordia

managing editor of Angelman Today

will decide on the winning

applicant The Live In The Vineyard

event takes place twice a year Once

in April and once in November We

will coordinate with the winning

family as to which week theyd like to

do Then the fun begins

There are so many heavy things

Angelman families deal with on a

daily basis There are so many heavy

things the Angelman community is

trying to collectively achieve for our

children We know this and we are in

it with you But sometimes its

important to get away drink some

wine and get lost in a song or two

This is the world Yolanda and I know

and its something we can offer

We appreciate Angelman Today for

helping us coordinate the contest We

believe its going to be a wonderful

experience for one deserving family

Our prayer is that in the future we can

make something like this happen for

every Angelman family

You can enter your essay at

angelsweekoffangelmantodaycom

with the enormous responsibility

of caring for their Angel for a

solid week So were also

providing a male and female

caregiving team who are certified

special needs caregivers and who

have experience with caring for

people with Angelman Syndrome

for the entire week as a help team

to whomever the parents designate

as their caregiver for the week

We want it to be a week off for the

Angel too The team will take the

Angel to the park or the zoo or a

museum each of the seven days

An activity for each day will be

chosen in coordination with the

parents and the parents designated

caregiver ahead of time Our team

will be there to help in every way

possible There will be skype and

face time available any point the

parents want to check in We want

them to feel good about the hands

their Angel is in We want them to

relax We want the Angel to have

a great time as well

We hope to make this a biannual

thing eventually or (my personal

goal) make it a monthly thing But

this year well start with one

family and see how it goes

Yolanda and I dont want to be

involved in choosing the family

so were making it a contest of

sorts through the new publication

Angelman Today Were asking

those interested in applying to

write a five hundred word (or less)

essay on their Angelman Journey

We want to hear your story Were

asking that all applicants have an

Angel over the age of five-years-

old The first 50 will be accepted

Then a panel made up of one of

our board members a

representative from Special

Olympics a representative

AD

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Sibling Love and Support

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

A short tale on how we got united

By Betty Willemsen Founder of Nina Foundation

You see Tweets and Facebook messages on one of

the most exiting achievements the Alliance on

Science is born How is this accomplished and how

does it work

I guess you even wonder how to participate

First International Conference on AS Rotterdam

October 2012

In 2012 the Nina Foundation (NF) invited every AS

organization they could find to Rotterdam to present

their idea on working as an Alliance I invited each

one personally so I do know the efforts I have made

to reach people from New Zeeland Australia Japan

USA Canada Israel Argentina Spain Denmark

Sweden Finland Ireland Italy France Germany

etcetera etcetera But not all replied so we send a

second letter and a third sometimes through different

channels

The organizations could make it to this International

scientific meeting in Rotterdam together with an

impressive crowd of scientists were all asked to

participate in 2 brainstorm sessions on HOW to create

the most effective Alliance

All the remarks were taken seriously and a

questionnaire was developed to further investigate the

possibilities and weaknesses ()

Legal work May 2013

Then the NF wrote a memo on the most efficient and

internationally effective way to work together We

wanted no costs and we needed to avoid the tax

problems that some countries encounter when

participating in a larger initiative And above all we

needed to work as equals as a community and

without creating confusion for parents

This memo has been spread to the organizations that

had made it clear to be interested And they got a few

months to react to this memo so eventually a lot of

changes were made And now there is a wonderful

simple and effective Alliance thanks to all the good

input that we received

The first pioneers sign the Alliance Rome

October 2013

In October 2013 we agreed to come to Rome

during the international conference set by ORSA

the Italian parent organization There we sealed

the agreement with a group of starters after long

and intense meetings France Italy Belgium

Ireland England and Nina Foundation signed and

all offered the financial input to start the first call

for scientific research The other organizations

also agreed to join and were sorting out if they

could immediately participate with money or

better do this next year 2014 For example

PWAV Japan and Germany This means that you

can still join if your country does not have a

participating parent organization yet

Goals of the Alliance on Science

For the first period of our cooperation the mutual

goals are

bull the joint funding of current research projects

bull the joint funding of new research projects

bull setting-up annual meetings of the scientific

advisory board combined with a biannual

meeting with other scientists in related areas

of expertise as a new view on Angelman

Syndrome may lead to promising new insights

and projects

bull setting-up a network of multiple scientists and

parent organizations in order to be eligible for

funding by (for instance) the European Union

How it works

In relation to the project-funding process these

are the steps (per call)

Each country presents one parent organization as

their representative to participate in the Alliance

That organization combines the funding created

in their country and labels it with the destination

lsquoFunding Alliance on Sciencersquo

After determination by the parent organizations

of the amount of funds they have available for

joint funding of research projects they sign the

Alliance on Science Angelman Syndrome

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Raspberry Mousse LGIT ndash Low Glycemic Index Treatment approved

Ingredients 12 cup of frozen or fresh

raspberries

2 eggs whites

2 tablespoons of creme fraiche

heavy cream

3 drops if stevia

Sour cream amp 1 drop of stevia

vanilla for icing

9 Carbs Total

Whip the egg whites whip the

cream pour the fruits amp mix

everything together

Use small individual cups rub the

inside with coconut oil pour the

mix very carefully keep in the

freezer for a couple of hours

Take out the cup place upside

down on a plate cover with sour

cream flavored with vanilla

Enjoy )

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Alliance agreement that states the wish to make

funds available and the amount of funds which will

be available per the moment the grant(s) is (are)

awarded

Then the scientific advisory board sets up a call

in which they include the most important

cornerstones on research

The first stage of application period starts

application by sending in two-pagers on research

ideas

Then the second stage of application period

starts on the basis of the aforementioned assessment

the European scientific advisory board invites one

or more applications to send in a more detailed

application

Eventually those detailed applications endure

assessment by the scientific advisory board and they

draw-up a ranking of the applications which are

eligible for funding

Now the participating parent organizations

come in play and decide which of the ranked

research projects are awarded a grant

And then we draw-up separate funding

agreements between the relevant researchers and

each of the participating parent organizations with

respect to their part of the funds connected with the

awarded grant

The funding goes from the parent organization

directly to the scientist There is no bank account

in between to park all funding from participating

countries

Whom does what

The parent organizations keep everyone in their

country informed and pays their part of the funding

to the scientist

The scientific board is in charge of the calls

assessments reports and evaluations

The NF does most of the work necessary like

communication between parties administration

and reports

Here we go Paris October 2014

The next meeting is in Paris 2014 October

Have a look at their website for more

information They also ask for financial help in

organizing the event Perhaps you can think

about this In Paris the scientific call for

projects will have selected a few scientists to

give a presentation to the group about their idea

What can you do

After reading this you might get exited and

wanting to help And you can

You can join donate or fund raise there are

countless ways you can help If you need ideas

please contact the parent organization in your

country or the Nina Foundation

For legal information on the alliance you can

directly get information from Martijn van

Steensel who works at the legal firm Loyens amp

Loeff They handle on a completely voluntary

basis all the legal work and donations to the

Nina Foundation Mail infoninafoundationeu

ask for the Alliance Agreement (in English) and

you can mail us all your questions

We are united -) and more countries are

welcome to join

Wish you a great 2014 Super exiting

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Behaviors are observed in many

forms such as blinking an eye

waving a hand saying ldquoHirdquo or

walking Most people do not look at

these behaviors as a ldquobehaviorrdquo

because they are automatic for most

people Unfortunately society has

always associated ldquobehaviorrdquo with

negative actions Letrsquos start to

think differently Social significant

behaviors are behaviors people

produce that are meaningful actions

that are observe in many forms that

are present in society This may

include decreasing

maladaptivestereotypic behaviors

andor increase appropriate learning

and social behaviors

Most research in ABA relates to

individuals who are diagnosed with

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

However like individuals with

ASD social communication and

behavior deficits are also evident in

children with AS In the past ASD

and AS were perceived as very

similar disorders Although

research is limited in using ABA

with children with AS there are

two studies (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009 and Summers J amp

Hall E 2008) that show

evidence that select principles

of ABA are effective educating

a child with AS These

procedures included discrete

trial shaping chaining

reinforcement and task analysis

of skills (Summers J amp

Szatmari 2009) Summers J amp

Hall E 2008 investigated the

correct implementation of ABA

teaching procedures by parents

with AS using an ABA skills

training manual The results of

this study showed differences in

results across 4 parents Two of

the parents showed

improvement in responding

across 4 of 5 domains one

parent did not demonstrate

change and the last parent had

mixed results that may have due

to the childrsquos disruptive

behavior according to the study

Even though there is limited

research on applying the ABA

methodologies there is

sufficient evidence to show that

educating a child with AS is

effective

As a professional who is not

only educated in ABA

methodology I am also a

teacher who applies these

principles on a daily basis A

few months ago I had the

opportunity to meet an

extraordinary young boy named

Max Max is diagnosed with

AS Maxrsquos mother Sybille

requested me to work with her

son using ABA procedures

After I evaluated Max it was

certain that we needed to work

on sitting at the table and the

When educating children with

Angelman Syndrome (AS) many

parents look for the best schools

that have teachers with extensive

experience working with children

with special needs The programs

that the parents observe are

classrooms that educate children

with different disabilities These

classrooms are categorized as

Multiply Disabled (MD) These

classes are always perceived to be

the ldquogenericrdquo solution for children

who possess deficits that are

difficult to address in other

classes With saying that these

classrooms can be very effective

for most children However one

type of educational setting that is

overlooked is a classroom that

implements the principles of

applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is mostly associated with

the field of autism ABA is the

science of applying

experimentally derived principles

of behavior to improve social

significant behaviors (Cooper

Heron amp Heward 2007)

Before we go any further letrsquos

briefly define what ldquosocial

significant behaviorsrdquo are and

their function To do so I am

going to breakdown the term in

the simplest form Social means

relating to people or society

Significant refers to having

meaning However when the

word ldquobehaviorrdquo is mentioned

most people think of maladaptive

or stereotypic behaviors such as

hitting spitting kicking or

repetitive motorvocal behaviors

In reality everything we do is

considered a ldquobehavior

ABA Therapy ndash Applied Behavior Analysis

By Mark Mautone MA ABA

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

ability to maintain appropriate use of

his hands while sitting such keeping

hands down when working Max has a

history of swiping items off the table

and had difficulty sitting His program

was only focused on

those behaviors Those two behaviors

are pre-requisites to learning and

attending I work with Max once week

for an hour I am happy to report that

by the 6th week Max was able to walk

to his work area and sit down His

reinforcement is delivered for

producing the target behavior with

preferred videos on the iPad for

keeping his hands down We are

moving into the phase of

programming which will be

introducing educational programs

using ABA principles

ldquoThis article was written two months ago

Today Max is able to start the timer on the

iPad chose his activity finish it and go to

the next one We started proloquo2go

program and he loved it He is learning

quickly with his ABA therapist and I truly

believe there is no particular age to start

ABA therapy If you have a great therapist

you can do miracles with your angelrdquo ndash

Sybille Kraft Bellamy

Mark Mautone MA ABA

ITPADD

Educational and Technology Consulting

Markitpaddcom

wwwitpaddcom

Follow me on Twitter ITPADD

WWWANGELMANTODAYCOM January February 2014

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on

Thank you for your support

Please Share Angelman Today

wwwangelmantodaycom

Connect with us on