From the Publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter

2011 DAVIDSON FELLOWS ANNOUNCED. Eighteen gifted high achievers have been awarded scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 for their work in a variety of fields. The Davidson Fellows Scholarship program has provided nearly $4.5 million in scholarship funds to 184 Fellows since its inception, according to the Davidson Institute.  Founded by Bob and Jan Davidson in 1999, the Davidson Institute for Talent Development recognizes, nurtures, and supports profoundly intelligent young people, and provides opportunities for them to develop their talents to make a positive difference. The Institute offers support through a number of programs and services, including the Davidson Fellows program and The Davidson Academy. For more information about the 2011 Davidson Fellows, visit www.DavidsonGifted.org/Fellows.

ONLINE EDUCATION FOR AUTISM. An Education Week article explores the value of online education for students with high-functioning autism, noting that it can  alleviate sensory overload, bullying, and other hazards of the real-world classroom. In the article covers pluses and minuses, and quotes 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter contributor Katherine Boser on considerations for when virtual education might be appropriate for a student with high-functioning autism. Find the article.

DBS FOR TOURTETTE'S. Fox News reported on a young man in New York for whom symptoms of severe Tourette's Syndrome were relieved by deep brain stimulation, which involves implanting electrodes to stimulate parts of the brain that are malfunctioning. Read more.

AD/HD ON THE RISE. The Wall Street Journal, reporting on a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, notes that the percentage of children between 5 and 17 diagnosed with AD/HD has risen to 9 percent, a two-point change from the last measurement over a decade ago. The article also contained an estimate of the costs of such AD/HD to society -- over $42 billion per year when factoring in "health care, education, parental work loss and juvenile-justice costs." Read more.

PARENTS, TEACHERS, COUNSELORS: TAKE HEED. Although you may have already realized this, a new study indicates that boys think discussing problems is a waste of time. This is compared to girls, who researchers found "had positive expectations for how talking about problems would make them feel, such as expecting to feel cared for, understood and less alone." Read more about the study.

A BACK TO SCHOOL HEALTH QUIZ for parents about kids' health showed us that we didn't know lots of things we should have -- such as the maximum weight for a kid's backpack, or which common medicine the FDA has warned against for kids under 2. If you want to find out how much you know -- or don't know -- take the quiz.

AND FINALLY, THIS. Sometimes, after dinner and with the mom out of the house at her aerobics class, the dad and two young boys at our house used to play a game called "Daddy Monster." It was a combination of hide-and-seek, Nerf shoot-em-up, and roughhousing, where the hiding daddy would leap out of closets when the seeking sons approached, then either chase them or be chased and fired upon with Nerf weapons, each round culminating in either daddy being tackled and "dying" on the living room rug, or sons being tossed onto the couch while the monster escaped again. We miss it. Now we find and article in the Chicago Tribune giving parents guidelines for roughhousing with kids and espousing the benefits. Read it.

From the Publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter

TRAINS AND AUTISM. The New York Times explored the fascination that many kids on the spectrum have for trains. In particular, the New York Transit Museum is using this fascination to develop kid-friendly programs that allows kids to "connect with other people -- and the world." Anyone who knows an Aspie will probably find something to smile at in this article. Find it.

MULTITASKING AND AUTISM. A recent study suggests that young people with ASD find multitasking difficult. The reason? In performing a series of tasks, they apparently adhere rigidly to the order in which they were given the tasks.  Read more.

AD/HD THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEARS. An article in the Los Angeles Times examines how the challenges of AD/HD become apparent at the beginning of each school year, and how in later years kids might reach the breaking point, unable to cope or develop compensatory strategies. The article also points out,  however, that with earlier introduction of rules and structure even before kindergarten kids are being labeled at ages 3, 4, and 5. Find the article. 

FAMILY HAPPINESS AND THE OVERBOOKED CHILD is the title of an article on parental sacrifice for kids' activities -- and whether that sacrifice is necessarily good.  Besides financial and physical exhaustion,, there is apparently no evidence that lots of activities lead to later academic success, at least. Read more.

AND FINALLY, THIS. If worrying about whether you're giving your child the right amount of enrichment activity isn't enough, here's more fodder. A survey of adults on health concerns for children yielded this ranking for the top five concerns: childhood obesity, drug abuse, smoking, teen pregnancy, and bullying. Need even more to worry about? The next five concerns were Internet safety, stress, alcohol abuse, driving accidents, and sexting. So there -- take your pick and start worrying. Find the survey.