Pasadena Child Development Associates, Inc.
Pasadena Child Development Associates, Inc.
PCDA News
PCDA is now offering Developmental Screening as well as more in-depth Team Developmental Assessments. Please click here for more information.
The PCDA Parent Support Group meets every 2nd Tuesday of the month, from 6:30-8:00 PM at PCDA.
Join us. There is no cost!
Floortime Orientation
for Parents
Free parent orientations are now offered on the fourth Tuesday of every month, from 6:30-7:30 PM at PCDA.
Join us. There is no cost!
Friends of PCDA
Parents and others from the community come together to help in various fundraising activities to support the mission of PCDA
The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month, from 6:30-7:30 PM at PCDA.
It's time... Parent Survey Week is happening during February!
Please take time to fill out a survey when you come into the office for the following services: Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Music Therapy, DBC, Social Skills and Teen Club. SEDI and Building Blocks surveys will be mailed to each individual family.
If you do not receive one in the mail, please ask your Developmental Interventionist for a copy of the survey.
Once your survey is returned via mail or to Reception, you are automatically in the running for two of our raffle prizes
| BreakThru Fitness | Gilbert Motor Service Gift Certificates |
|
Estimated Value $149.00 One month membership at Breakthru Fitness in Pasadena. Breakthru Fitness is an upscale full-service fitness club that offers the most up-to-date classes and state-of-the-art amenities. |
Estimated Value $200.00 2 gift certificates each for $100, plus 1 XL Gilbert Motors T-shirt, 2 XL Gilbert Motors T-shirt, Gilbert Motors pens, keychains, and 2 mini screwdrivers. Gift certificates good towards all goods & services on a single invoice. Expires 12/31/12. |
The announcement for the winner of our Survey Raffle will be announced in our next newsletter!
We appreciate your feedback and hope that PCDA continues to provide excellent services for your family!
PCDA Client Wins Honors in National Contest!
Congratulations to PCDA client Daniel Roman for winning top honors in the National PTA Reflections Program through Glendora Unified School District with his essay on the theme of diversity.
His mother shares, "Daniel would not be where he is today were it not for all of the support, help and assistance he has received at PCDA during the last several years."
An excerpt: "To me diversity means that it's okay to be different. I think I knew what diversity meant long before I ever heard the word. You see I have autism. Having autism has always made me different from other children. I get bothered by loud noises or tags in my clothes that make me itch. It is very hard for me to look at people in the eye, and I don't like it when anything at school or home does not follow the usual routine. I go to a lot of programs to help me learn how to do things that other kids just know how to do automatically like telling jokes."
For the entirety of Daniel's essay, please click here.
It's Almost Time for
the 2012 PCDA Valentine's Day Socials!
February is here and that means our Valentine's Day socials are right around the corner. The socials are for all PCDA clients ages 3-12 and their families, so spread the word!
Valentine's Day Celebration Socials for 3-12 year olds
| Dates: | Friday, February 10th Monday, February 13th Tuesday, February 14th |
| Time: | 3:30-5:00 p.m. |
| Place: | PCDA, 620 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena |
Please let us know if you would like to donate any special snacks!
For any questions, please contact Megan at (626) 793-7350 x256.
Come join us for a fun filled morning of dance, face painting, costumes and the visual arts for the whole family! /h3>
Children of all ages and their families are welcome to explore the exciting world of the creative arts through activity stations in a fun interactive way!
Saturday, February 11th • 9:30- 11:30am • PCDA Large Conference Room
Children of all ages and their families are welcome to explore the exciting world of the creative arts through activity stations in a fun interactive way!
Pay at the door: $5 for a family of 3, $10 for a family of 4+.
Please RSVP to Melissa St. John at (626) 793-7350 x261 or melissas@pasadenachilddevelopment.org
Click here for a PCDA Arts Saturday flier (pdf)
PCDA: An Inspiring Charity
PCDA was honored to be selected by THE Pasadena Foothills Magazine as one of the 'THE 50 Inspiring Charities' in the Pasadena Foothills Area. See us in the December 2011 edition.
A reception was held at Eden Garden on January 4th for the recipients. Thank you for this honor!
PCDA Occupational Therapist
Returns to Ghana
For the 4th time, Mariko Yamazaki, OTD, OTR/L, is traveling to Mephibosheth Training Centre, a boarding school for children with special needs in Ghana, West Africa, with a team of pediatric therapists. They will stay for two weeks and provide hands-on treatment to the students, working with the school staff, and also giving guest lectures at the local university.
This year, the school is requesting the following (gently used) items as donations:
- Shoes and clothing (hot weather)
- Tools
- Cookware and other kitchen supplies (bowls, utensils, etc)
- Towels, sheets (twin bed size), pillowcases
- Dry erase pens
If you would like to donate an item, please drop it off at the Reception desk no later than February 25.
For more information, please contact Mariko at (626) 793-7350 x217.
PCDA's Annual Golf Classic Tournament & Awards Dinner - Save the Date!
Friday, June 1st at the Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena.
Show off your swing at PCDA’s second annual Golf Tournament! Enjoy a relaxing day of golf at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena. The day of fun includes lunch, contest and prizes, an auction, and awards dinner.
11:30am Player Registration ● 1:00pm Mod Shotgun Start ● 6:00pm Dinner & Awards
$200 per golfer ● $800 per foursome ● Golf sponsorships available
If you are interested in helping volunteer for this event, please contact
Kelly Orellana at (626) 793-7350 ext. 281 or email for more information!
Click for PCDA Golf Sponsorship Opportunities: 2012-PCDA-Golf_Sponsorhips (PDF)
Click for a PCDA Golf Registration Form: 2012-PCDA-Golf_Registration (PDF)
The Golf Tournament is for families too!
- Golf cart rides for children
- Golf ball drop - help pick up the balls!
- Dinner
- Children's putting contest
- Photos with the golf stars!
Parent volunteers needed!
Come help sell golf balls with us - $5 each!
Join the decorations committee!
For information about the event, contact Kelly at (626) 793-7350 x281 or via email.
To volunteer, contact Anne at (626) 793-7350 x282 or via email.
It's open! PCDA's Augmentative & Alternative Communication Center
PCDA's state-of-the-art AAC Center is up and running!
Thank you to all of the individual donors and the following foundations who made this possible: CIBA foundation, SKETCH foundation Henry L Guenther Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and UPS Foundation.
If you are interested in a consultation or assessment for your child,
please contact Anne Davis, MS, CCC-SLP, and Head of Speech & Language at PCDA, at (626) 793-7350 x205.
FREE Food Allergies & Intolerances Meet-Up
Saturday, February 11th from 3:00-5:00pm at PCDA
Does your child have food allergies? Does your child have celiac disease or other food intolerances? Would you like to meet with other families addressing food allergies & intolerances with their children? Then come to The 1st annual Food Allergies & Intolerances Meet-up!
"Supporting your Child's Safety in the Community"
Hosted by PCDA Dietitians Gloria Williamson, MS; RD Kristen Van Rooyen, MPH RD; and Patricia Novak, MPH RD. Kids' activities, free raffle of allergy-friendly gifts and safe snacks.
For more information, please contact Gloria at gloria@pasadenachilddevelopment.org, or call (626) 793-7351 x203
Save the Date! 2012 Family Fun Day
Saturday, April 15th from 1:00-5:00pm
Join us for a rockin' good time at Griffith Park raising awareness and funds for advocacy for developmental treatment for children with special needs! There will be bands, speakers (authors, advocates, parents), children's non-competitive games, food for purchase, kids' activities and more.
More information coming soon!
2012 PCDA Calendars On Sale Now!
For the first time ever, PCDA has put together a comprehensive 12-month calendar, complete with events, trainings, holidays and more! Wonderful photos of PCDA families complete each month. Don't miss out on this special item! Supplies limited.
Purchase one at the Reception Desk for only $10,
or call to have one mailed to you.
Proceeds support PCDA programs and services
Music Together® Classes • Winter Classes Start the Week of January 16th, 2012
Offered Wednesdays @ 1pm • Wednesdays @ 5pm • Thursdays @ 10am
Saturdays @ 9:30am or Saturdays @ 2pm • Children from birth – 5 years old
Free demo classes!
Week of January 2nd and Week of January 9th
Taught by registered Music Together® teachers Micky Mack, MT-BC* and Alaina Prior, MT-BC*
*Board certified Music Therapists
Space is limited!!! Call Melissa St. John, Music Together Center Director
at (626) 793-7350 ext. 261 today!
Click here to download a registration form (Acrobat® PDF)
Click here to download a flier (Acrobat® PDF)
A Music Together® Class is:
- 45 minutes of PURE FUN with your child each week for 10 weeks!
- A community of families sharing songs, instrument play, rhythm chants and movement activities in a relaxed, playful, non-performance-oriented setting.
- Music learned through developmentally appropriate activities that support and respect the unique learning styles of very young children.
- Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers participating at their own levels in family-style classes of mixed ages. Class size ranges from 6 to 12 students.
- Parents and caregivers contributing to the enrichment of their child's music environment-regardless of their own musical abilities
- A new song collection every semester for three years, featuring great arrangements of original and traditional songs in a wide variety of tonalities, meters and cultural styles.
Questions?
or contact Melissa St. John, Music Together Center Director at (626) 793-7350 ext. 261Visit the Music Together® website: www.musictogether.com for more information on the program, curriculum, songs, and to find other locations.
NEW Speech & Language Screenings
PCDA is now offering speech & language screenings
by licensed Speech & Language Pathologists for $35.
These screenings take a total of 30 minutes including a brief write-up and will provide families with a better understanding of their child's speech and language development.
To schedule a screening, please contact Anne Davis at (626) 793-7350 x205.
PCDA's Annual Holiday Recital
The 2011 Annual Holiday Recital at PCDA was a wonderful celebration of each child's achievements and their families love and support.
Thank you to all the children, teens and families who performed, and those who came out to share this special occasion!
A Big THANK YOU to Everyone Involved in Making the 2011 PCDA Holiday Online Auction a Success!!
The 2011 online auction was a great success! Thank you to everyone who donated and purchased items.
Through your efforts, PCDA raised over $5,000
which will help support our programs and services.
Thank you to Pasadena Independent Schools Foundation!
PCDA was chosen to be a recipient of a Pasadena Independent Schools Foundation grant. The 16 chosen charities will be visited by students next year, to determine the awards. We look forward to their visit!
Thank you to the Wynne Foundation!
PCDA is the recipient of a grant from the Wynne Foundation to support programs and services. We thank the Wynne Foundation for their on-going generous support.
Thank you to Elements Kitchen!
Thank you to Elements Kitchen who gave a portion of the proceeds from all Wednesday night dinners in November to PCDA.
Dr. Diane with Onil Chibas, owner of Elements Kitchen.
PCDA Executive Director visits China
Dr. Diane Cullinane had the opportunity to travel to Chengdu, China to present at an International Autism Conference. Her trip was sponsored by Joni and Friends, in collaboration with Amity International. Dr. Diane shared information about the DIR approach, and the developmental approach to behavioral challenges. While resources in China for children with autism are not extensive, the professionals were eager to learn and also shared some innovative strategies they have developed.
PCDA's Veronica Vallejo, second from the left, is interviewed by the news team. Martha and Jose Cruz are on the right.
PCDA on the News
On October 6th, PCDA appeared on a Spanish morning news show called Hogar Al Dia, Noticias on Bereavision to bring awareness to the Latin community of the services available for children diagnosed with developmental disabilities and delays. PCDA's Developmental Interventionist Veronica Vallejo conducted the interview. They discussed topics as diverse as the importance of early detection of delays, the Regional Center system, and the support available for children born to undocumented parents. The Cruz family, a PCDA client, generously offered to share their experience of their child's diagnosis of autism, and their struggles with receiving adequate funding for services. Veronica also shared information with the news team about PCDA's history, the agency's philosophy of DIR/ Floortime and the various multidisciplinary services PCDA offers.
Click here for more information in Spanish!
New Evidence-Based Support for Relationship-based Intervention
Strong research support is one of the primary factors affecting funding decisions for services for children with autism. This is one of the reasons we are glad to see a new study by by Devin Casenheiser and colleagues at York University published in the journal Autism.
The article compared a group of children whose parents received 2 hours per week of coaching in helping their children develop social-communication skills, to a group of children who received 4 hours per week of other interventions in the community.
After one year the children in the social-communication group showed greater improvement in their interactions than the community treatment group. In addition, many of the skills we target in Floortime/DIR were directly associated with the children's improvements in language, including joint attention and emotional engagement (Levels 1 and 2 of the Floortime model). Finally, the parents' increased skills were also associated with the children's improved interactions.
It's great to have evidence for what we know from experience: when parents help their children connect emotionally, the children enter more fully into the world of communication with others.
Pacific Oaks College Students Take a Tour of PCDA
Vivian Tamkin, Ph.D is a licensed psychologist, professor and adjunct faculty member at Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, where she is currently teaching Introduction to Therapeutic Companions: A Behavioral Intervention. This course uses texts including The Child with Special Needs, by Dr. Stanley Greenspan, the developer of Floortime.
Dr. Tamkin is familiar with PCDA from working here as a contracted Developmental Interventionist over ten years ago for one child she brought to receive DIR/Floortime services. She brought her class of nine students to PCDA to show them an agency that provides services like the ones they are learning about and to connect them with professionals in their field of study.
Free G-Tube Supplies!
We have received a large donation of G-tube supplies, as well as a small amount of specialty formula.
If you have a need, please contact the Dietitians at PCDA: (626) 793-7350 x203.
Thank you to everyone who came to the Harvest Moon Home Tour!
On Sunday October 2nd, PCDA hosted its annual Harvest Moon Home Tour and Art Auction at the historic Blacker House in Pasadena. Homeowners Harvey and Ellen Knell graciously opened up their home for an exclusive tour enjoyed by the Harvest Moon guests. Home tours led by docents dressed in early 1900s costumes were followed by a cocktail reception and silent auction of fine art. The evening continued with a heartwarming program highlighting PCDA's services for children with special needs and a gourmet dinner under the Harvest Moon. This year's Harvest Moon event raised over $12,000 for PCDA!
Thank you to our MC, Jovana Lara, weekend news anchor from Channel 7 Eyewitness News.
See more event photos in the November PCDA newsletter.
PCDA
Executive Director Dr. Diane Cullinane, Jovana Lara,
volunteer
Andrew Hain, and Phillip Hain
A Special Thank You to All Our Generous
Harvest Moon 2011 Corporate Sponsors
and Individual Donors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsor
Cash DonorsKarin Drummond |
In-Kind DonorsAllegria Designs Art DonorsAdrienne Brown |
Animals in Art Classes
Classes will be held on Tuesdays from November 15th - December 13th • 4:00-5:30PM
Children ages 6-12 learn to create animals and their environments using clay and other materials. Students will explore basic hand building skills and will have the opportunity to glaze their sculptural pieces!
Click here for more information about this exciting new creative arts program.
Please contact Melissa St. John (626) 793-7350 ext. 261 or email for more information!
Click to view our Animals in Art flyer:
Animals-in-Art-2011 (Acrobat® PDF)
Click for an Animals in Art registration form:
Animals-in-Art-2011-Registration (Acrobat® PDF)
DATE NIGHTS FOR PARENTS! Have dinner at Elements Kitchen
and PCDA will receive a portion of the proceeds!
Every Wednesday in November Nov 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th
FREE CHILDCARE IS AVAILABLE from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM at PCDA
Elements Kitchen and PCDA have teamed up for the month of November to offer parents a way to enjoy time together and help PCDA at the same time. Eat dinner at Elements Kitchen 
on Wednesday evenings in November and PCDA will receive a portion of the proceeds.
MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS FOR DINNER HERE: www.elementskitchen.com
Please sign up by calling Katherine:
(626) 793-7350 x219
Click to view the flier:
Elements-nov-date-night.pdf (Acrobat PDF)
NO COST - But donations gladly accepted. TELL YOUR FRIENDS! ALL ARE WELCOME!
Generous UPS donates $8,000 to PCDA
PCDA was proud to be the recipient of an $8,000 award from The UPS Foundation in support of PCDA's interdisciplinary Feeding Services. Shown is Gerald Yee, from UPS presenting the check to our Executive Director, Dr. Diane Cullinane.
Feeding Parent Support Group
Every Friday 9:30-10:30am at PCDA
Is your child receiving feeding therapy? Then consider
joining our Feeding Parent Support Group. The group is led by a
member of PCDA's Interdisciplinary Feeding Team.
This is a chance for parents to come together to share their experiences and support one another as they work through their child's feeding challenges.
FREE for parents in PCDA's Interdisciplinary Feeding Clinic.
Click to view the flier:
PCDA_FEEDING-support-group (Acrobat PDF)
For more information, contact Betina at (626) 793-7350 x211
Collecting Donations for Our Holiday Online Auction!
November 25th - December 9th, 2011
This
year's online auction will be held Nov 25 - Dec 9 at
Biddingforgood.com.
This year, we're fortunate to have a large collection of toys as part of the auction, so this will be a great time for PCDA families to purchase holiday toys and support PCDA at the same time. More information will come soon about this opportunity to do your holiday shopping and support PCDA.
Here are a few examples of great donations:
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Click to view the flier:
PCDA-auction-2011 (Word doc) PCDA-auction-2011 (Acrobat PDF)
Click for the donation form:
PCDA-auction-donation-2011 (Word doc) PCDA-auction-donation-2011 (Acrobat PDF)
If you'd like to donate an item to the auction, we'll accept all contributions! We'll also supply you with donation forms so you can ask others you know to donate items as well. It's an easy way to help support our programs. Give us a call and let us know what you've got!
Please contact Kelly Orellana at (626) 793-7350
ext. 281 for more information.
DIR/Floortime COC Conference
DIR®/Floortime: A State-of-the-Art Approach for People with Special Needs
DIR - Developmental, Individual difference, Relationship based -- is the original parent-mediated intervention for young children with special needs. This conference will examine the success of the DIR®/Floortime approach to intervention. A variety of renowned speakers will describe their experiences with DIR®/Floortime in diverse settings, including the home, clinic and educational setting, as well as the results of clinical research. There will be an opportunity to explore the many DIR®/Floortime services available in California. This conference will be of interest to parents, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, dietitians, mental health professionals, registered nurses, educators, early interventionists, and any professionals involved in the care of children with special needs.
This conference is sponsored by the DIR®/Floortime Coalition of California, the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders, and Pasadena Child Development Associates. Sorry, no childcare available.
| Saturday, October 15 9:00am - 4:30pm |
Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel 2500 Hollywood Way Burbank, CA 91505 |
Conference details |
For more information, contact Katherine Getts at (626) 793-7350 ext. 219 or katherine@pasadenachilddevelopment.org
 |
Pasadena Child Development Associates
|
Parents and Community Members Invited to Join "Friends of PCDA"
The Friends of PCDA are a group of parents and others from the community who come together to help in various fundraising activities to support the mission of PCDA.
We meet on the First Tuesday of every month from 6:30-7:30 pm
Small conference room at PCDA
620 N. Lake Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91101
If you are interested in learning more please contact Diane Cullinane, M.D., Executive Director via email.
Click to view the flier:
Friends-of-PCDA (Word doc) Friends-of-PCDA (Acrobat PDF)
TOYS!!
PCDA received a large collection of toys, donated by ASTRA - The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, who held their annual convention in Anaheim this year.
Dr.Diane Cullinane presented a talk on Toys for Children with Special Needs. The exhibitors were glad that their toys were going to be used to help children with developmental challenges.
Thank you to ASTRA!
Bob Baker Marionette Show on Monday, August 8th
Please join us for a fun evening of play, snacks and marionettes!
Where: PCDA Conference Room
When: Monday, August 8, 2010 from 5:30pm-6:30pm (Outdoor play from 5:30-6:00pm, Puppet Show from 6:00-6:30pm)
Cost: FREE! Drinks and Snacks will be provided.
For reservations and more information, please call or email: Amber Erie at (616) 793-7350 x229.
Click to view the flier:
PCDA-Puppet-Show (Acrobat PDF)
Adapted Art Lessons
PCDA's Creative Arts Department is excited to announce that we will now be offering Adapted Art Lessons. Professional artist, Amy Huestis, will provide adapted art lessons for children ages 10-18. Click here for more information about this exciting new creative arts program.
Please contact Melissa St. John (626) 793-7350 ext. 261 or email for more information!