| Technology has a way of skidding from science | | | | so intense. |
| fictions' past into the present like Michael J Foxs' | | | | How does this apply to parents of children with |
| Delorean in "Back to the Future". Remember those | | | | disabilities? If you are a parent, You need to know a |
| sliding doors in Star Trek on the U.S.S. Enterprise? We | | | | couple of things: |
| take them for granted now. And every time I see | | | | 1. You should be comfortable in knowing that you can't |
| someone flip open a cell phone and talk to someone, I | | | | learn it all.Don't put yourself through guilt and frustration |
| expect to hear them say "Beam me up Scotty." The | | | | over this fact. Just get an overview of the services |
| day of live streamed video mail is coming soon -very | | | | and equipment your child may need. Be prepared to |
| soon. Every science fiction movie I ever saw had | | | | say "I don't know but I can find out." That is my biggest |
| someone talking to someone else from a TV screen | | | | phrase. I have learned how to find a needle in a |
| and we all laughed, yet today I heard that our IT | | | | haystack on the Internet when it comes to AT. I spend |
| department is supplying built in web-cams standard on | | | | a great deal of my time online researching equipment, |
| all newly issued laptop models. | | | | treatment, therapy or definitions and descriptions of |
| I had a real wide-eyed moment today and I have to | | | | medical disorders. Be ready to see the Internet as your |
| share it with you. I watched our doctor wave a Dr. | | | | best friend. There is so much information out there it is |
| McCoy-Star Trek-type "tricorder" over my sons chest. | | | | staggering. |
| "What IS that?" I had asked. The doctor explained that | | | | Most people hate to waste time searching for |
| it would "re-align the electrical impulses that were out | | | | information. They want it done for them. If you have a |
| of sync so his respiratory infection could heal." | | | | child with a disability, start searching and asking. There |
| "Seriously?" I thought to myself. This was real. My son | | | | are answers out there. I don't even pretend to think or |
| thought it tickled and the doctor did the treatment until | | | | want to bluff you into thinking that I know all there is. |
| the levels on the front showed the body had | | | | "All there is" changes every day. If I were to comment |
| re-calibrated. Just when you think you are getting a | | | | on occupational and physical therapy supports, new |
| handle on things, something new pops up and surprises | | | | treatment for seizures and ADHD with neurofeedback |
| you. | | | | for children using computer games and slot car race |
| I am a specialist in assistive technology. I see new | | | | tracks, simulating virtual reality on the TV with a Wii, |
| things that come out on the market all the time. I have | | | | and so on, we would be here for the next 2 years - |
| been following the research and development of | | | | and by then 70% of what we knew would be |
| mapping the neuro-network of the brain to pinpoint the | | | | obsolete and new technologies would have taken |
| combinations of impulses and electrical frequencies | | | | over. |
| that make up hand, wrist and arm movements. There | | | | 2. There are new and limitless possibilities for young |
| are studies right now on how to re-create these | | | | children with disabilities. |
| impulses in "bionic" arms that replace severed ones. | | | | Where we are headed is going to be amazing. The |
| The research will allow our human brain to operate the | | | | textbooks need to be re-written on how we serve |
| new appendage by thought. | | | | children because of the impact of technology in every |
| I was at a national convention this fall where I sat and | | | | aspect of education and special needs service |
| had an eye gaze unit wirelessly track my retina from | | | | delivery. If you are a parent of a small child today, the |
| four feet away. As I looked around, the cursor on a | | | | advances in technology to support are going to be |
| large flat computer screen moved in the same | | | | incredible. It is a good time to be alive. You have |
| direction. The cost was huge, but the technology was | | | | options no one had before you. There is technology to |
| there for someone who is severely disabled and | | | | support your child that is amazing. Take some time to |
| wants to access life through a computer. I'm sure I | | | | look search blogs, forums and pod casts that talk |
| saw Tom Cruise do that in a movie a couple of years | | | | about technology in education, assistive technology and |
| ago. | | | | trends in alternative medicine for neurofeedback. The |
| There is no way any one person can know it all about | | | | technology associated with alternative medicine is |
| any niche in technology anymore. The world is | | | | gaining more respect as time goes on and shows |
| becoming more and more specialized. We have | | | | great promise as it becomes a hybrid in collaboration |
| specialized services within specialized niches that are | | | | with traditional medicine and treatment. |
| in specialized markets of specialized companies. It can | | | | I imagine by the time you read this, I'll need to be writing |
| get pretty crazy. I have heard predictions that there will | | | | a second edition. That's OK. As long as I don't expect |
| come a time when a person with my job in general | | | | to ever catch up, I can relax and find the things that |
| assistive technology will not be able to be an assistive | | | | work. That is what serving children with assistive |
| technology specialist anymore. They will have to focus | | | | technology is all about anyway. Finding out what works |
| on a sub-category because the specialization will be | | | | to support kids. |