Author: Dr. Rebecca Mullican

About Dr. Rebecca Mullican

Received her Ph.D. in Special Education, Emphasis: Severe/Low Incidence Disability at the University of Southern Mississippi. She has seventeen years of experience working with students with autism. Learn more…

Light it Up Blue with Communication

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For April 2 only, the LAMP Words for Life app will be half off. This app is an incredible tool that individuals with autism can use as well as school districts and classrooms should have available.

Dr. Rebecca Mullican uses this app at Jackson Autism Center on an iPad to assist with communication. She has gone through the extensive training and am also a LAMP certified professional, one of three in the state of Mississippi.

If you would like to find out more about the app or how it can help your child communicate, please complete a contact form. Let’s start communicating now!

New Prevalence Rates of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Time for Autism Awareness Month

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How many kids are on the autism spectrum? According to the CDC, 1 in 68…with boys 1 in 42 and girls 1 in 189! This is an increase from 1 in 166 in 2000. You can read more about this increase here.

What are a few early signs that parents should be looking for?

  • Atypical eye gaze- may look at you, but not as often or as long as other children
  • Impaired social interaction- seems more engaged with toys than with people
  • Language challenges- may not hit talking milestones, repeating what is said to him/her, or may not understand all that is being said around him/her
  • Intense interests
  • Sensory integration challenges
  • Behavioral challenges- may have meltdowns for no apparent reason.

These are just a few and just because your child shows a few of these signs does not mean that he/she has an autism spectrum disorder. If you are concerned, talk to your pediatrician or schedule an appointment.

Ribbon Cutting at Jackson Autism Center

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Jackson Autism Center is proud to announce our ribbon cutting will correspond with Autism Awareness Month! Please join us Thursday, April 3 at 10:30 am for our ribbon cutting and open house. I can not think of a better way to start off April and Autism Awareness month than by celebrating one of the few centers in Mississippi focused on improving lives of individuals with autism and other related disabilities. I am looking forward to continuing to serve families in Mississippi who are affected by autism. Check back daily in April to read positive stories about autism, receive tips for daily living, and other helpful information.

Southeastern “Across the Spectrum” Conference Scholarships Available

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I just received an email stating that the Southeastern “Across the Spectrum” Autism/Asperger Conference and Expo in Atlanta, GA, has 20 scholarships available for parents to attend the conference for $50! The coupon code is spectrum.

I am looking forward to attending this conference March 13-14, 2014. Check out the conference here. I hope to see you there!

Help Pass the Autism Insurance Reform Bill

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It is an important time for families and professionals as Mississippi looks at the Autism Insurance Reform Bill. The bill has passed the house of representatives and is headed to the senate. This is the time to send emails and urge your senators and to vote to help kids with autism receive the therapies they need to improve their quality of life! The services Jackson Autism Center provides such as behavior intervention as well as social skills classes and toilet training classes are improving home and school life for many individuals. Wouldn’t it be awesome if some or all of these services were covered under insurance allowing more kids and individuals with autism to access these services?! Autism Speaks has made it super easy- I would ask you to include your personal story at the top of the emails to help show how important this is to you and WHY.  Send an email now! Tell Lt. Gov. Reeves to schedule a hearing and get this bill passed!

Challenger League Baseball Registration Going On Through Valentine’s Day

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DSC07642 One of my favorite times of year is coming up quickly…challenger league baseball season! Just as the school year begins to draw to a close, kids with disabilities from around the Jackson Metro area will have an opportunity to participate in a sport that many kids enjoy- baseball! Baseball days in the Challenger League allow all kids to play, from batting to running the bases and catching balls in the field. Let’s get ready to…PLAY BALL!

Register by Friday, February 14 by clicking RCL reg form.

 

Jackson Autism Center in Parents & Kids Magazine January 2014

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Jackson Autism Center is proud to be a part of the 2014 Special Needs January edition! You can find our ad in the Family Resource Guide as we are here to serve families and help kids with disabilities on all levels! In the magazine, you will also find an article about autism. The article reminds us how important it is for parents to seek assistance if they feel that their child is not developing typically. Autism is being diagnosed at age 3, but characteristics may be seen earlier. It is important to know the early signs of autism, such as atypical eye contact, lack of communication and social skills. Dr. Buttress states how important it is to have an experienced expert design a plan for your child and fit the plan to the child not the child to the plan. She went on to explain the uniqueness of children on the spectrum and there is no one size fits all plan. Well stated Dr. Buttress! If you find yourself in need of a leader for your child’s team, let Jackson Autism Center be a part of your child’s specialized plan.

Dr. Rebecca Mullican Speaks at ATIA’s Yearly National Conference

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Dr. Mullican has been invited to speak again at ATIA’s 2014 national conference this month in Orlando. The Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) assists individuals with disabilities using all types of assistive technology and helps parents and professionals be better prepared too!

Dr. Mullican will be speaking about the use of Speech Generating Devices (SGDs) with child-directed play. Since her years in the classroom, Dr. Mullican has found child-directed play along with the use of speech generating devices assists individuals with autism to communicate. Do SGDs only benefit individuals with autism? No! SGDs help a variety of individuals with disabilities to communicate, from children who are not yet talking to children who only use echolalia to individuals who have difficulty being understood when they speak.

Here is more information about all of the sessions that are being offered at ATIA. Hope to see you there!