Center for Pediatric Therapies

by

Dan River Autism 5k Walk/Run

Building Blocks Center for Autism is proud to be a founding partner and corporate sponsor of the 1st annual Dan River Autism 5k Walk/Run.  This event will be held  Saturday, April 21, 2012 on The River Walk at Dan Daniel Memorial Park in Danville, Virginia. Funds raised will be donated to Autism Speaks.

There are several ways to get involved with Dan River Autism 5k Walk/Run:

1. Walk or Run!

Anyone can register to start a join, join an existing team, or register as an individual.

2. Donate to a Team or an Individual

If you are unable to participate by walking or running, you can still support the cause by donating to a registered team or individual.

3. Be a Corporate Sponsor

Corporate sponsors enable us to cover expenses related to the event, such as t-shirts, cones, shelter rental, etc.  As a corporate sponsor, your company will be recognized on the event t-shirt and in public relations/marketing materials.

For more information and to get involved, become a Fan of the Dan River Autism 5k Walk/Run on Facebook.

by

Building Blocks visits Santa

Building Blocks took a field trip to see Santa at the Piedmont Mall today!  This yearly trip is intended to allow the children to practice their social skills, work through sensory deficits, and of course, sit on Santa’s lap to celebrate the holiday.  Afterwards, the children spent some time personally picking out a present for their parents at the mall.

by

Amy Crenshaw, MS, CCC-SLP/L

Amy Crenshaw, speech therapist at Center for Pediatric Therapies in South Boston, Virginia with a patient

Amy Crenshaw is a Speech-Language Pathologist at the Center for Pediatric Therapies. Based at our location in South Boston, Virginia, Amy provides speech therapy services to children from birth to 21 years of age in South Boston, Halifax County, and surrounding areas. She also works with Building Blocks Center for Autism in Danville, Virginia.

After graduating from Longwood University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science, Amy earned a Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Radford University in 2000. Amy holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) awarded the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed by the state of Virginia. She is a certified provider of the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol and a certified Early Intervention Specialist for the Infant and Toddler Connection of Virginia.

Amy’s areas of clinical expertise and interest include: apraxia of speech, articulation disorders, autism, developmental delays, expressive and receptive language disorders, feeding disorders, and oral-motor difficulties.

Amy lives in South Boston with her husband, Jay, and their two daughters, Morgan and Avery.

by

5 MYTHS about individuals with Autism

As Autism Awareness Month draws to a close, we leave you with five myths and facts about Autism.

1. Individuals with Autism are all alike
FACT: individuals with Autism are as different as can be, in fact the ONLY noted similarity that ALL individuals with an Autism spectrum disorder have is an unusual difficulty with social communication

 

2. Individuals with Autism do not have feelings
FACT: Most individuals with Autism are extremely capable of feeling and expressing love,sometimes though in not “typical” ways.

 

3. Individuals with Autism are a danger to society
FACT: While many individuals with Autism exhibit violent behaviors, those behaviors are almost always caused by frustration, physical or sensory over load, or a similar issue.

 

4. All individuals with Autism are savants
FACT: It is true that a relatively few individuals with Autism are “savants.”  These individuals have what are called splinter skills which relate only to one or two areas of extraordinary ability.  The majority of individuals with Autism have ordinary or even less-than-ordinary skill sets.

 

5.  Individuals with Autism can’t do much of anything
FACT: This myth truly injures our children.  Individuals with Autism can achieve great things, but only if they are supported by people who believe in their potential.  Often individuals with Autism are creative innovators and see the world through a different lens-when their perspective is respected, they can change the world!!