August 2014

Peekaboo AUGUST 2014

Coltrane the Courageous

INSIDE:

The Butterfly Effect

Raising a Young Scientist

Northwest Arkansas’ Family Magazine

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the PEEKABOO family Kimberly Enderle

Editor-in-Chief editor@peekaboonwa.com (479) 957-0532

Ava. Grant. and Holden.

Jonathon Enderle

Creative Director jon@peekaboonwa.com (479) 586-3890

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Distribution/ Circulation Joyce Whitaker Judy Evans Marcedalia Salinas Colleen Cook Jeremy Whitaker Michelle Dodson

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Peekaboo nwa W h at ’ s I n s i d e | Au g u s t | 2 0 1 4 14

A Dreadful Affliction, A Courageous Boy, and the Great Physician by: Justin Smith

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#BeNeighborly: The Pack Shack Handles Hunger in NWA by: Frances Wilson

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I Didn’t Choose The Special Needs Path, But I Sure Do Love My Tour Guide

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by: Jason Minton

28

Prenatal Testing

30

Be A Hunger Hero

34

Bassett Furniture Now Offering Baby, Youth, and Tween Furniture

36

How to Say Good-bye

44

The Butterfly Effect

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Concerned about Dyslexia?

by: Robert Hix, MD

by: Hollie Weber, MS, LPC by: Katrina Osborne

by: Suzanne Miltich, Ph.D.

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Goodnight Fayetteville

52

Raising a Young Scientist

56

The Family Behind NWA’s TCBY

58

Dad’s View

64

Homeschooling in NWA

68

The Value of Being a Girl Scout

by: Warren Cox

with Ben Lacy

by: Kimberly Williams

by: Emily Gassman

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44 52

What Parents Need to Know About ADHD and ADD by: Dr. Craig Keever, M.D.

56 o n t h e c ov e r Drew Chamberlain, 12, son of Christen and Scott Chamberlain of Rogers.

And Khymira Rojaphot-Jones, 5, daughter of Pikulthong Rojaphot -Jones and Benjamin Jones of Centerton.

Models from N.c.K. Talent Academy www.thenck.com

Cover Photo by: Sweet Portrayal Photography

wwwsweetportrayalphotography.com Photo taken at TCBY in Rogers see story on page 56

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J

ust as I wrapped up the summer issues of Peekaboo, it was immediately time to switch gears to a back-to-school mindset. Local schools on the non-traditional calendar have already started back, and in the middle of this month the rest of the kids will be back to school for a new season of learning and growing.

But before I say good-bye to summer, I want to take this time to reflect on all that our little family of five experienced over the last couple of months. There were spontaneous trips to TCBY, Mad Pizza for lunch and games, Malco summer movies, and moonlit park playdates.

There were gymnastic lessons at iNFiNiTi, golf practices with First Tee, art lessons at Imagine, and birthday parties at Bricks4Kidz and The Wild Wilderness Safari in Gentry. There were playdates at the Bentonville Splash Park, Little Giggles, and the Rogers Aquatic Center.

We participated in summer camps at Walnut Farm Montessori School and The Little Gym. We took weekend trips to the children’s museums in Little Rock and the zoo in Kansas City.

There were also bigger events, like Ava getting her braces off and Holden getting his tonsils taken out. One of those, and I’ll give you a wild guess which one, was exciting and liberating, and the other a bit more traumatic. I have to say that the recovery process for tonsilitis isn’t at all what they portrayed on the Brady Brunch.

Now, all that behind us, we are all ready to jump back into another great school year—the first step being the reversal of the summer routine that we all happily fell into. School year bedtime for us is 8PM at the latest for final lights out. Bedtime for last couple of months, though, has been at least 10 or 11PM. Honestly, it’s incredibly tough to convince your “But I’m not even sleepy!” kids to go to bed, with the sun still blaring through their window, no less.

Breakfast has also been a bit more sporadic with exactly what time it was

12 August 2014

photo credit: Created For You Photography

served (or ordered through the drivethru, more like) and definitely less than balanced. These are only a few of the things we have to change this fall!

In the same way that you train for a marathon, the last few days leading up to the first day of school need to be approached with care. Small changes toward the bigger goal of an early wake-up, a positive attitude, getting dressed without much fuss and a healthy breakfast will make all the difference. Pushing back the bedtime even just 10 to 15 minutes earlier each day leading up to the start of school will help tremendously and prevent any “shock to the system” when that early alarm sounds.

Honestly, Ava and Holden are much more excited about the idea of going back to school than I am. I love my time with them home all day and realize how truly lucky I am that I get to work from home. The kids are ready to go back, though, and the excitement of what this year will bring helps ease any jitters we have. We look forward to the new skills each of our littles will learn this year, and all of the stories they will share with us when we pick them up each day.

I am wishing all kids across NWA a fabulous first day back to school and a great year ahead!

A Dreadful Affliction, A Courageous Boy, and the Great Physic ian Written by: Justin Smith | Photographs by: Justin Smith Lyrics from the song “Coltrane” by Amasa Hines and “Always” by Kristian Stanfill I looked down and saw his almost lifeless body lying there in “Oh, my son. Oh, the hospital crib. Coltrane Roy Smith is my youngest son. He came into the world perfectly, but now, not even two years my son. Oh, my old, his body was truly scarred. “Is this my son? My little son?

But it was. It is. In that moment, it hit me hard son. Oh... my love.” Itthatcan’tI wasbe.”living every parent’s worst nightmare. The big “C”

word was playing over and over in my brain, taunting me.

“No, please!” I thought, over and over again, but yes, it was true. He’s there in his crib, crying out in the night, “Mama! Mamaaaaaaa!” Such a depressing cry for help and comfort. What can I do for my son?

I would trade places with him in an instant, but I can’t. My struggle for control has been completely paralyzed. I can’t move. I can’t even think. I can only pray. This happens to be the only thing, the most powerful thing I can do, but it’s so difficult to give your children up completely to God. I laid my hands on my youngest son and desperately pleaded to God, the Great Physician, for his healing.

Coltrane is such a happy kid. He loves to run, read books, and play with his older brother, Jackson. He seemed to be a perfectly healthy little man, but that was not to be. We first noticed something was wrong when he began to cling to Sonja, my wife, more than usual. We thought it was teething, chalking it up to that since it can cause some crazy symptoms in children. A couple of weeks later, Sonja noticed a large bump on Coltrane’s left temple. We thought it was strange and suspicious, since, if it was only a bump, we would have certainly known what caused such a large knot on his head. Sonja and I headed to the doctor’s office. They examined the bump in question. It “felt like bone,” they said. They figured it was his skull still forming. It didn’t cause him pain or anything, so that was a good sign. The doctor told us to keep an eye on it. We did.

Sonja and I got more concerned when the bump started changing shape. It was more shallow to the skull and it had elongated. We set up another appointment. The day before the appointment my mother-in-law called and said that Coltrane wasn’t walking. I raced home from work and examined him. I bent down to his level and asked him to come to his daddy. He wouldn’t. He looked to me for help with those big, watery green eyes.

They were full of fear and uncertainty. I called him over again, “Coltrane, come to Daddy.” He started to whine and move his legs a little bit but he was very unsteady.

“Whoa! Whoooooaaaa!” he cried. He couldn’t walk. I called in to Sonja’s school and picked her up to go to the clinic. The doctor took one look at his bump and said, “No, this isn’t normal. You need to head to St. Francis Children’s Hospital in Tulsa.” We left immediately.

“Neuroblastoma.”

You’d be surprised at how much Latin and medical jargon you learn when you’re in this kind of situation.

Sometimes (honestly, most of the time) you hear the doctors going, “Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.”

Then, when they’re finished you say, “Huh? What?

Sorry, I was thinking about when I was going to take a shower next. Can you repeat everything you just said one more time, and in slow motion, please? Oh, and in English? Thank you, Doctor So-and-So.” The doctor explains, yet again, but this time, his eyes keep darting to one side, where your eldest son is.

He stops himself mid- sentence. “Do you know your son has his pants down?” Yep, sure enough, Jack is mooning the most serious of doctors. It’s nice to see a doctor laugh once in a while—it makes them seem more human and less “doctor-esque.”

The sound of my cries are unfamiliar. I’ve never heard my body make them before. I find myself waking up each day, reliving the nightmare that is my new, undesirable reality. My whole world collapses and rebuilds in a way that is distorted and unreal. It is a dream, and it is not a dream. There’s a hole in my chest that is a consuming fire. It burns with pain. My heart, seared. I look at my family and know that our lives have changed. But I know this, that God works ALL things for the good, for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Ah, there it is... My friend, hope. It is here. My God will not delay, and He alone is my refuge.

{

}

The sound of my cries are unfamiliar. I’ve never heard my body make them before. I find myself waking up each day, reliving the nightmare that is my new, undesirable reality.

Neuroblastoma is a rare cancer, most commonly found in children. It is a bit neurotic. Instead of growing out like a tree as some tumors do, it tries to fit wherever it can, seeping along in different paths. Strange words and phrases pop out at me like cartoon bubbles in a comic book. “It’s like oatmeal,” or “It’s... treatable,” or “It’s purple,” or “It’s like tapioca.” It definitely helps me cope if I take the cancer and separate it from my boy in this way. Then, he is not his cancer. It doesn’t define him. Neuroblastoma is also different from other cancers in the way it behaves during treatment. The oncologists, therefore, have to evaluate every move they make based on what Coltrane’s body is doing.

[ story continued next page ]

During our first stretch, we spent 17 days in the hospital, around 90 miles away from home. Since I own my own business, it was a little easier to take the time I needed to be with my family. We had lots of help from family, friends and our congregation at church, which was a blessing, to say the least. Coltrane has endured many scans, MRIs, blood transfusions, chemotherapy (that ominous, neon-green bag), all sorts of tests and three biopsies. The surgery gave us the biopsy of the tumor located on his adrenal gland, which turned out to be the originator. That first operation really hit him hard, and he lost a lot of muscle. It was really sad to see my son, who had been so energetic, healthy and strong — or, so I thought — become so helpless, immobile and defeated. I know that it sounds cliche, but it’s true. You just never think that it’s going to happen to you... And then it does and you have a new life. A different life.

But you know what? God is always good. He is forever with us. Through this trial, the genuineness of our faith is being tested (1 Peter 1:7). Without a doubt, we are living this right now, and it’s a great thing.

{

I hear footsteps approaching; a swift, muffled pattering. It stops.

I look down and see my sweet boy, Coltrane, looking up to me with his wide, energetic, green eyes filled with wonder. He has his doggie bubble blower in his hand. “Tss,” he says. I smile, knowing exactly what he wants. He knows who to come to in order to fix his bubble machine. I grab the giant tub of bubble refill and he’s at my feet waiting patiently.

I see the top of his bare head—his hair has mostly fallen out, but it’ll grow back. He’s got a long road ahead of him, but he’s not alone. He has his parents and his brother, his family, his friends. He has thousands of people praying for him around the globe, and, most importantly, he has God, who loves him more than I can even imagine.

}

You are invited to attend Coltrane the Courageous Spaghetti Supper and Live Auction to support the Smith family.

The event will be held at Community Christian Fellowship, located at 525 S. Lincoln St. in Siloam Springs, AR 72761 September 20th from 4:30PM-7:00PM.

The future. What will it look like? Most likely, he will undergo more chemo, biopsies, a bone marrow stem cell transplant, and possible radiation. The stem cell transplant will have to be done in Oklahoma City.

We will be away from home for six weeks. Sonja has had to quit her job due to all of the appointments and care that Coltrane has needed and will need over the course of his treatment, which will be around 14 months long. As of now, we have no idea what God has in store for us, but we do know this: God has plans to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us hope and a future. He is merciful, compassionate, faithful, and His word does not come back to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). We have peace knowing that God will provide us with what we need. What we need may not be what Sonja and I think we need, but we lean on His understanding, not ours. We are genuinely humbled to be a part of this crazy journey. We are confident that God has prepared our hearts and souls for this.

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It is an honor to have this great trial before us, and if this trial is a parent’s worst nightmare, one that seems unfathomably dark and daunting, how much greater is God? For, after all, His great power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

“Coltrane, what do you say?” “Tss,” he replies. “Can you say ‘bubbles’?” “Bahhh-bah.” “Alright!” Coltrane is dancing around in circles, flailing his arms and legs around enjoying the spheres of soap prisms. I will not worry. I will not fear the war. I will not fear the storm.

Also, if you would like to continue to follow the Smith Family’s story, make a donation, or post messages, please visit: WWW.CSMITH.US

#BeNeighborly:

The Pack Shack Handles Hunger in NWA by: Frances Wilson

‘Food justice,’ ‘food scarcity’ and ‘food insecurity’ are terms used more and more frequently to describe the phenomenon of hunger in the United States. Despite our nation’s high GDP and standard of living, as many as 18 million households in the United States (as of a 2012 USDA Economic Research study) are rated as ‘food insecure,’ meaning that they have near-constant inadequate access to food. In Northwest Arkansas, one in four people suffer from food insecurity every week. The question of what to do to curb hunger in our state is answered by a nonprofit, The Pack Shack, run by Bret Raymond and Jarod Ring. The Pack Shack acts as a liaison between local individuals, groups and businesses, and the nonprofits who need volunteers to battle local hunger in their communities. The Pack Shack is mobile, able to bring everything volunteers need to pack meals. Once the meals are packed, they are immediately distributed to local nonprofits for use in hunger relief.

Peekaboo: Take us back to the beginning. Where did this idea come from?

Bret: Jarod and I have a shared passion for the issues

of world hunger and nutrition. Jarod and his wife were in the Peace Corps in Rwanda, working with food programs and education, while I and my family also worked in Rwanda with MANA Nutrition in severe acute malnutrition and ready-to-use therapeutic food.

When my family and I moved back to Northwest Arkansas a few years ago, I looked into local hunger issues, almost of out of habit. After all, it’s one thing to work on a global scale and another to see what’s going on in your backyard. Jarod was in Philadelphia, working for another hunger relief organization, but we kept in touch, always dreaming of working together.

Like many people, we were incredibly surprised to learn that Arkansas leads the country in hunger and food insecurity for both kids and senior citizens. We talked to local businesses about the needs that came with that level of hunger, and they said that there was simply a low level of awareness of hunger in the community. After that, our question became: “How can we help?” The nonprofits said they they needed people and resources to succeed, and corporations encouraged us to have a local impact to be relevant.

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In our research, we found that meal packing parties around the country were bringing in hundreds of thousands of people to pack meals for international hunger organizations. We said, “We can do this in NWA, keep the meals local, AND have a ball!”

Peekaboo: How do you make meal packing into a party?

Bret: The party flows like this: put on your groovy

hairnets and gloves, learn about hunger in your community, and then pack meals like crazy while listening to fantastic music! We invite local nonprofits to attend every party and receive the meals directly in order to connect participants with them. Our goal is to get people engaged in their communities, thus our hashtag on Twitter, #BeNeighborly.

Peekaboo: Since you guys are mobile, you have a farther reach than a lot of nonprofits. How far away can you go?

Bret: Since we’re not stationary, and can bring

everything that a group of volunteers needs to their home site, we’re pretty flexible, as you said. We would go as far as people would want to take us, but we mostly stick to the four-state area around Northwest Arkansas, where we’re located.

What’s nice about being mobile is that there are no set structures, and we’re adaptable, able to work with groups of 7 or 8 to over 900. We can go from gyms, to conference rooms, to church picnics. Our flexibility extends to our timing, as well. We say, “On your turf, on your time!”

Peekaboo: What age groups do you normally work with as an organization?

Jerod: We’re intergenerational! There’s no age limit,

and we say that we work with ‘kids from 3 to 103.’ It’s amazing to see children and great-grandparents working together, alongside each other. That’s hard to find in most volunteer opportunities. Our attitude is come one, come all, since there’s a job for every age group.

Peekaboo: What reaction have you gotten from the community?

Bret: People have responded very well, probably

because we spent five months honing our vision of the organization by consulting the community extensively. So many people had a part in molding our idea to the specific needs of NWA. We have amazing nonprofit partners working with us as well, such as the Samaritan Center, NWA Food Bank, Seven Hills, and many more around the region.

Peekaboo: What’s your favorite part of being involved in the organization?

Jerod: (Laughs) I enjoy being able to wear a hairnet as often as possible! Honestly, though, it’s amazing to have a job where I can serve people. We wish our job wasn’t necessary, but we do love bringing people together in droves to participate in something greater than themselves. It’s fun, engaging and impactful, and watching people during the party is rewarding.

Bret: Bringing a lot of different groups together to serve our neighbors is very fulfilling. The Pack Shack is a symphony of community participants, all working to make this happen, and that’s what it takes: A whole community being neighborly.

One thing we’d love to end on: You! Please consider hosting a party for an organization that you’re part of.

Any group, any occasion, any place, any time, any age — let’s do this!

"I didn’t choose

the special needs path, but I sure do love my tour guide” I read those words recently, about a year and a half after my son, Jude, was born, and I found that they did a pretty good job of summing up the fantastic times that we have had together so far.

Of course, as with any family who welcomes a child with special needs, there have been challenges and frustrations. However, Jude’s infectious smile and upbeat personality have helped my wife, Jessica, and I, as well as our family and friends, to press on and to accept the challenges and frustrations for what they are — short-term issues. Each issue has been a learning experience and Jude has done a fantastic job of showing us how to navigate our way through them.

BY: JASON MiNTON Jude was born with Down syndrome, a chromosomal condition resulting from him having three, rather than two, copies of the 21st chromosome. This additional genetic material alters the course of development for people with Down syndrome and causes the common characteristics associated with the condition: low muscle tone, small stature, an upward slant to the eyes and a single deep crease across the center of the palm. A person with Down syndrome may also have an increased risk for certain medical conditions such as congenital heart defects, respiratory and hearing problems, Alzheimer’s disease, childhood leukemia and thyroid conditions. Every person with Down syndrome is a unique individual and may possess these characteristics to different degrees, or not at all.

Jessica and I found out about Jude’s condition about midway through the pregnancy. During the routine visits we were making to Parkhill Clinic, the ultrasounds had picked up on some markers that the doctors thought might indicate the presence of Down syndrome. These markers alone were not conclusive, only serving as indicators that there was a slightly increased probability that our baby would have Down syndrome. However, based on this information and Jessica’s age, as the incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother, we wanted more definitive tests so that we could begin to prepare, if necessary. In an effort to avoid more invasive procedures like an amniocentesis, we opted for a cell-free DNA blood test, a method that examines fetal DNA from a mother’s blood to check for one or more missing chromosomes that can signal conditions such as Down syndrome.

The call with the diagnosis came when we were at a friend’s house. The week was already off to a rough start because my dad had suffered a heart attack earlier in the week, and we were prepping for his bypass surgery the following week. In the meantime, Jessica had been trading voicemails with the doctor’s office in an attempt to discuss the results of her blood test.

We had just been talking with our friends about our excitement for the pregnancy and about some of our hopes and dreams of what life would be like once our baby arrived, when Jessica stepped away again to try to connect. Even watching her on the phone from a distance, I could tell something was not right.

When she came back to the group, she simply said, “We need to go.” We made a very abrupt departure and she shared the news as we walked to the car. While hundreds of thoughts Jude was born with came racing through Down syndrome, a my mind all at once, the most powerful chromosomal condition sensation was that resulting from him I felt like I had just having three, rather been punched in the gut. We had done than two, copies of very little research on the 21st chromosome. what Down syndrome was and had no real experience interacting with those who had the condition. We found ourselves, first, still unprepared for the typical duties of being new parents, and, even more completely unprepared to handle this news.

We spent about a week not really sharing the news with anybody. My dad’s health got far worse before it began to get better and we thought it would be better to focus the attention of family and friends on supporting him rather than us. Over time we began to share our news with a select group of family and friends. The selectivity had nothing to do embarrassment, but we were still coming to terms with the news ourselves and really didn’t know what to say. Additionally, we were doing our best to stay positive and were probably trying to shield ourselves from people saying “I’m sorry,” rather than “Congratulations,” when hearing us talk about the future arrival of our child.

As we got closer and closer to the projected delivery date, I think we both went back and forth on trying to be positive and fight back some of the negative feelings that we felt. Of course, there were many moments where we simply questioned, “Why us?” And, of course, although the blood test had been shown to be more than 99% accurate in making a Down syndrome diagnosis, we sometimes clung to the chance that the test would be proven wrong.

When the delivery date came, we were very excited but also scared. We had done a lot more research on what to expect regarding a child with Down syndrome

[ story continued next page ]

and felt more prepared, and our research had also helped us understand some of the initial challenges that we might face. We still had not shared with many people that our child had already been diagnosed with Down syndrome and had a plan to inject it into an email that we would send out to family and friends once our baby arrived. We thought this might allow us to explain that we were looking for nothing but celebration from them because we wanted our child to be celebrated no matter what the conditions.

Jessica delivered by C-section, and that last 30 minutes of the 16 hours Jessica had spent in labor was a very chaotic end to what had been a fairly relaxed day.

The chaos brought out some of the fear in us that we had been keeping at bay, but our doctor, Dr. Hix, prayed with us before going into the delivery room and remained a steady companion for us just as he had been through the months prior. I remember hearing Jude’s first cries and the first feeling I had when I saw him for the first time—pride.

Jude did not have any sort of heart disorder or hearing problems. While his muscle tone was a little low, he was far stronger than many children with Down syndrome and, though a little challenging for him, was able to breastfeed. In fact, the symptoms of his condition were so slight that I questioned for a brief time that maybe he didn’t have Down syndrome or that, at a minimum, his cognitive delays would have to be very slight as well.

Of course, nothing changed with the original diagnosis and it was obviously misguided to think that I could judge Jude’s, or anyone else’s, cognitive capacity just by physical appearance.

It is funny how quickly we eliminated the portion of the birth announcement we had planned that would contain the news about Jude having Down syndrome.

Once we had the chance to hold him and saw that he was a healthy child, nothing else really seemed to matter. Over time, we came to terms that we had a child with Down syndrome and recognized that his initial care would be the same as for a typical child. We celebrated Jude and only wanted our family and friends to do the same.

At this point, Jude has begun receiving various therapies to help him develop physically, mentally and functionally. His height and weight are now starting to lag a bit behind the averages of typical children and he has been a little slower in reaching milestones like rolling over, sitting up, crawling and walking. That said, he is achieving these milestones and we are having a great time as a family working with his “team” to do so.

Jude will celebrate his 2nd birthday on November 1, and we are still hopeful that he will be walking by then.

He also continues to make more and more sounds each

day on his way to develop language skills.

He seems to really enjoy reading books with us before bedtime and often will spend time reviewing the pictures again in books when we are done reading them. Finally, he seems to love playing in water, going on hikes, and listening to music. We still hold many of the same hopes for him that we always have—sports, college, marriage, etc. Overall, blessed with a very healthy and happy child, we are having great adventures with him as our guide.

We have been very blessed from the very beginning of this journey to have connected with Dr. Hix, Dr. Benafield (Jude’s pediatrician), Children’s Therapy Team and Northwest Pediatric Therapy (Jude’s therapists), Fayetteville Montessori School (Jude’s daycare), Annalise (Jude’s primary babysitter), and last, but not least, the Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas. This team has assisted me, Jess and Jude as we have tried to find our way and have provided the support we needed for us to all live typical lives. Our lives have not slowed down since Jude’s arrival. If anything, they have picked up even more as we try to expose Jude to all the great things we have in NW Arkansas, like concerts in the park, farmers markets, street festivals, and, of course, Razorback games.

The Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas will hold its 10th Annual Buddy Walk event on October 18, at Arvest Ballpark. This organization has been instrumental in providing a great deal of education, direction to resources, and support to our family and to many others within Northwest Arkansas who are working through the complexities associated with Down syndrome. This group was not one that Jessica and I thought we would ever be a part of, but we are tremendously thankful that it was available as a resource to us these past two years.

The Buddy Walk event is a community event with the purpose of showing support for people like Jude who have Down syndrome and also for those that care for them. This is a great family event and a fantastic opportunity to interact with some amazing people.

Jude, Jessica and I hope to see you there!

For more information on the Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas (DSCNWA) or the Buddy Walk event, please visit the DCSNWA website at www.dscnwa.com.

PREGNANCY

PRENATAL TESTING

By: Robert Hix, M.D. Parkhill Clinic for Women

When women see their doctors for prenatal care they usually have myriad concerns regarding their pregnancy. They want to know if they are on an appropriate diet, taking the right prenatal vitamins, if they can exercise, take their prescribed medications, and numerous other issues. Above all else, newly pregnant women want to know if their growing fetus is in good health. Fortunately, in this age of technologic advancement obstetrical providers can more accurately and confidently predict the health of a newborn as compared to years past.

In 1984, Merkatz, et al., first reported an association between low levels of maternal serum alphafetoprotein (AFP) and Trisomy 18 (a genetic disorder resulting from 3 copies of chromosome 18). This proved in principle that maternal serum markers could be used to identify pregnancies at increased risk for aneuploidy (extra or missing chromosomes).

From there, both invasive and non-invasive methods for learning about a fetus in utero were rapidly finetuned by researchers and clinicians and quickly taken up by many women and their providers.

This article will touch on many of the tests which are currently available and attempt to give a brief overview of the methods, risks and benefits of each.

Some tests which are not regionally available or can be quite risky to a pregnancy such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS) which carries a fetal loss rate of 1 in 160 will not be covered. It should also be stated that many methods are constantly being fine-tuned to increase accuracy and predictive values. Lastly,

28 August 2014

statistics in regard to predictive values are always dependent on the frequency of a given disease state in a defined population. Thus any stated statistics concerning predictive values will change with different populations in which the test is administered. This is something that we as clinicians must always keep in mind when counseling expectant mothers, especially when testing does not produce favorable results.

If we begin with prenatal testing designed to detect genetic abnormalities in the earliest stages of pregnancy, then nuchal translucency is a good place to start. Nuchal translucency is performed between 10-14 weeks with the preferred range of 12-13 weeks.

An ultrasound is performed which measures the maximum thickness of the subcutaneous translucency between the skin and soft tissue overlying the cervical spine. It is most often combined with maternal serum free B-human chorionic gonadotropin (B-hCG) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein – A (PAPP-A) levels. The detection rate for Trisomy 21 (or Downs Syndrome) can range from 70-90% with a false positive rate of 1-5%. It requires a certified clinician trained to perform the ultrasound survey and can take up to an hour to complete. However, it does provide expecting parents with an opportunity to view their unborn child.

Another test which has gained popularity with clinicians and pregnant women is the Harmony test.

The test uses cell free fetal DNA circulating in the mother’s blood to detect Trisomy 21, 18 and to a lesser degree Trisomy 13. This test is typically reserved for women considered at high risk for chromosomal

abnormalities. High-risk pregnancies in this category would include age over 35, abnormal AFP, abnormal ultrasound findings, or a family history or prior pregnancy with a chromosomal abnormality. The sensitivity is greater than 99% and specificity or false positive rate is less than 1%. It can be performed from 10 weeks on and typically has a turnaround time of 8-10 days. The test can be quite expensive, between $800-$1,200, but it does have the advantage of sex determination which an essentially 100% guarantee.

Second trimester testing has evolved through the years in many ways. The initial testing included measurement of the levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in maternal serum. Abnormal levels would then be evaluated with either an ultrasound, amniocentesis, or a combination of both. Later developments included two more elements increasing specificity and sensitivity. Current testing also referred to as the quadscreen includes AFP, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) unconjugated estriol (uE3), and inhibin A. Typically drawn between 15-20 weeks gestation, the test requires an accurate estimate of gestational age. The additional markers have increased the detection rate of open neural tube defects, Trisomy 13, 18 and 21 by approximately 10% over AFP alone.

All of the aforementioned testing carries with it an inherent percentage of both false positive and false negative rates. As such, the gold standard of chromosomal prenatal diagnosis continues to be amniocentesis. This invasive test involves ultrasound guided needle aspiration of amniotic fluid. The fluid contains fetal cells which can be used to map and sequence fetal DNA. The test is typically performed in the second trimester but can be performed anytime from about 14 weeks until delivery. Advantages include 100% accuracy as well as gender identification.

However, testing not only involves varying degrees of pain for the expectant mother but also a reported fetal loss rate of 1:493.

With the advances in prenatal testing and diagnosis, most chromosomal abnormalities should be detected prior to delivery. However, as previously discussed, the specificity of a test is highly dependent on the population being tested. Thus, as the saying goes “just because we can doesn’t mean we should.” Both expectant mothers and clinicians must continue to evaluate and personalize testing based on risk factors associated with each pregnancy. This will both aid in planning for fetal abnormalities while minimizing unnecessary fear arising from false positive tests.

Champions for Kids Launches “Be a Hunger Hero” Campaign Sam’s Club members can join Champions for Kids in the fight against hunger by providing 360,000 meals through Tyson Foods and Kraft Foods Tyson Foods, Kraft Foods and Champions for Kids have joined together in their fight against hunger, donating meals to children in need with a purchase of Capri Sun, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner and/or Tyson Chicken Nuggets at Sam’s Club.

Champions for Kids has joined forces with Tyson Foods and Kraft Foods to fight childhood hunger. Starting August 1, shoppers can “Be a Hunger Hero” when they shop at Sam’s Club. For every purchase of Tyson® Fully Cooked Chicken Nuggets 5lb bag, KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner 7.25 oz.

12 pack or CAPRI SUN Juice Drink Variety Pack-40 pouches at Sam’s Club in August, you’ll be feeding a child in need. (4 oz. of protein, 6 fl oz. of CAPRI SUN, and/or 2.5 oz. of KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinners).

According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, 22% of all children—more than 16 million—live in families with incomes below the poverty level. These families often struggle to provide nutritious meals for their children. The “Be a Hunger Hero” partnership program helps these families have consistent access to nutritious food.

Tyson Foods’ current hunger relief campaign, KNOW Hunger, is focused on helping more people understand and join the effort to eliminate hunger in America. The company also partners with Share Our Strength, Lift Up America and Feeding America to raise awareness and help feed the hungry across the nation. In the past 13 years, Tyson Foods has donated more than 95 million pounds of protein in the United States.

As one of the largest consumer packaged food and beverage companies in the North America, Kraft Foods is dedicated to fighting hunger. Since 1997, they have provided more than 1 billion servings of food to those in need.

2014 Goal

1 million meals

Time frame

August 1st – 31st

Demo Dates: August 2 -3, 9 -10, 23-24 UofA Mascot Appearances Fayetteville Sam’s Club

Sat, Aug. 9th • TBD Sun, Aug. 10th • TBD Sat, Aug. 23rd • 11am-12pm

5678 Dance Studio

www.5678dancestudioarkansas.com From recreational to pre-professional dancers, we offer excellence in training to our students with a wide variety of dance styles for children and teens. We feature a mixture of well-trained, professional instructors, innovative teaching methods and a positive atmosphere.

Customer Appreciation

Open House August 16 | 10am - 1pm Award winning competition team now offering recreational classes tap | jazz | ballet | contemporary | hip hop | boys classes Ages 2 - high school Stop by our new location:

1106 NW 10th Street Bentonville 479-381-0107

contact: jodi.northcutt@gmail.com

m Must Shop:

Bassett Home Furnishings 3505 North Steele Blvd.

Fayetteville, AR 72703

Bassett Furniture now offering baby, youth and tween furniture!

B

assett Furniture in Fayetteville is excited to announce that they are now offering baby, youth and tween furniture. “Expanding our in-home design service to include children allows us to offer our clients the whole-home makeover experience,” said Leigh Farmer, owner and general manager.

Design Tips

from Bassett Home Furnishings Designer Marla Webb

Their quickly-expanding children’s lines include 4-in-1 cribs, changing tables, glider rockers, bunk beds and more. In-store designers are available to help customers create an individual look with custom bedding, window treatments, rugs and accessories.

Their complementary in-home design service takes that one step further. Their staff of HGTV-certified designers has the experience to ensure that new parents have a beautiful, fully functional room to bring their baby home to. “Designing children’s rooms has always been a passion of mine,” says Marla Webb, store manager and designer. “It’s wonderful to work with expectant parents to give them their dream nursery. With the new Bassett Baby collections, we can do just that, with on-trend colors, styles and options.”

Always vary textures to ensure a stimulating, tactile environment to enhance your baby’s growth and development.

With more than 30 fun color options, up-to-date finishes and thousands of fabrics to choose from, customers can really be creative. Mix and match strong colors for a bold, trendy look, or select more quiet colors for the popular neutral palette. Incorporating these collections into game rooms, playrooms, entertainment areas and study spaces is an excellent way to give a home a customized, finished feel. Add one of Bassett’s custom upholstered headboards to a tween or guest room and customers will have a look that will grow with their child for years to come.

A wise investment for a baby room is window treatments. Too much light can interrupt a baby’s natural sleep patterns, and an uncovered window can cause uncomfortable temperature fluctuations in the room.

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Don’t forget to keep fun design aspects at lower, child-height levels, to insure a fun, creative learning environment.

Try not to choose fabrics or patterns that are too theme-specific. They will feel tired quickly and won’t grow with your child’s ever-changing interests.

New parents tend to underestimate the amount of storage needed for their new baby. Choosing soft movable storage ottomans is one way to combine style, safety, and function.

How To Say Good-bye A

ny death is painful and a life-changing experience. However, when the death follows a lingering illness, the family has the opportunity to get ready, plan for closure, be involved in the dying process, and perhaps put preventive mental health measures in place. The distress of a sudden death can make it more complicated to comprehend and acknowledge, resulting in different emotions. Certain causes, such as suicide or car accidents, further cause difficulties in grief and mourning. There is not a right way to respond to grief.

Reactions to death depend on your child’s age, “developmental level, personal characteristics, mental health, family and cultural influences, previous exposure to crisis death and loss.”

There are five common stages of grief: 1.Denial - disbelief about the loss 2.Anger/guilt - being angry about the loss 3. Sorrow - loss of energy, crying, sadness 4. Bargaining - making promises to try to make things how they once were 5. Acceptance - accepting the loss, making adjustments to the loss

As you process the loss with your child or loved one, encourage talking about the loved one. Modeling healthy mourning is important for your child. If you talk about your loss, it provides a safe environment for him/her to process the death. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; this will help you be able to gauge their emotions and healing. Allow your child to grieve in a way that works for him/her, as long as it is safe.

Everyone copes differently and that is OK. You may need to talk with your child frequently/repeatedly.

Children may act out their emotions and at different times; realize how the loss of their loved one has changed several aspects of his/her life. As always, continue to provide structure and routine for your child.

When should you seek professional help? “Children and teens are at most risk for adjustment problems in the first year after the loss, with 10-15% at risk for problems, most likely in the form of depression.” A lot of children and teens return to healthy functioning

For different ages of children and adolescents, you can look for the following reactions.

Preschool: tantrums, decreased verbalization, clingy behavior, regressive behaviors (bed wetting, thumb sucking), separation fears Elementary: somatic complaints (stomachaches/headaches), self blame, withdraw, behavior problems, lack of concentration, increased anxiety Middle school: flashbacks, nightmares, aggression, suppressed emotions, concerns about physical health, academic decline High school: resentment, risk taking behaviors, fear of death, appetite/sleep changes, academic decline, avoidance

after approximately one year. Though, some problems persist or are more severe for some children. These problems can emerge two or more years after the tragedy. In these cases, seeking the help of a mental health professional is encouraged.

Hollie Weber, MS, LPC is a therapist for The Center for Psychology and Counseling and is currently accepting new clients. i. Adapted from “Death and Grief in the Family: Tips for Parents” in Helping Children at Home and School III, NASP, 2010 and from materials posted on the NASP website after 9/11/2001. www.nasponline.org ii. Goodman, R.F. (2014). www.aboutourkids.org

(479) 444.1400 see ad next page..

Sun

Tues

Mon

Fayetteville on College and 6th St. Bentonville on Walton Rogers on Walnut and Pleasant Grove

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Sidewalk Sundays at The Walmart Museum School doesn’t start for a few weeks.

Come out for Colorpalooza Day and add some ideas to your Back to School wish-list!

Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m.

It’s free! Questions? Call us at (479) 273-1329 ext. 2 or visit us on out Facebook page.

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Pinnacle Hills Promenade and the NWA Mall

STORYTIME @ PANERA BREAD 9:30 a.m.

Join Bentonville Public Library in Panera Bread’s Cozy Corner for great stories and songs. All children take home a fresh Panera Bread cookie and the adults that bring them will be treated to a fresh baguette with a recipe. For more information, contact the library at 271-6816 or click on the library calendar at bentonvillelibrary.org.

Sidewalk Sundays Walmart Museum - Downtown Bentonville Amplify your bubble blowing with performances from School of Rock!

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Sidewalk Sundays Walmart Museum Downtown Bentonville Peformances by School of Rock.

Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m.

It’s free!

5 Two Punch Tuesday at Pigtails & Crewcuts in Fayetteville Double punch on loyalty card for every haircut every Tuesday!

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

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12 Two Punch Tuesday at Pigtails & Crewcuts in Fayetteville Double punch on loyalty card for every haircut every Tuesday!

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

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Two Punch Tuesday at Pigtails & Crewcuts in Fayetteville Double punch on loyalty card for every haircut every Tuesday!

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Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m.

It’s free! Questions? Call us at (479) 273-1329 ext. 2 or visit us on our Facebook page.

Sidewalk Sundays Walmart Museum Downtown Bentonville Activate your imagination with Trike Theatre. Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m. It’s free!

116th Annual Tontitown Grape Festival Carnival, grape stomp, grape ice cream, live music, famous homemade spaghetti dinners & more.

August 5-August 9th Tontitown, AR Hwy 412 west of Springdale 4:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m., Grape Stomp: 7-9 p.m.

Who: All ages How: Open to the public Cost: Free to enter, cost to ride the rides www.tontitowngrapefestival.com/schedule-of-events.html

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Sidewalk Sundays at The Walmart Museum - Downtown Bentonville En Garde! Come out for sword fighting demonstrations with the NWA Fencing Center.

Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m.

It’s free! Questions? Call us at (479) 273-1329 ext. 2 or visit us on out Facebook page.

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American Red Cross Blood Drive 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Fayetteville Public Library

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Morter Health Corner presents: Chiropractic Care for Safer, Easier Births Free Class The Birth Center of NWA - Rogers 12-12:45 p.m www.bcnwa.com

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Wednesday Family Day at Pigtails & Crewcuts. in Fayetteville 1 Haircut at full price, 2 Haircuts at $2 off, 3rd gets $4 off, etc.

Wednesday Family Day at Pigtails & Crewcuts. in Fayetteville 1 Haircut at full price, 2 Haircuts at $2 off, 3rd gets $4 off, etc.

Wednesday Family Day at Pigtails & Crewcuts. in Fayetteville 1 Haircut at full price, 2 Haircuts at $2 off, 3rd gets $4 off, etc.

Wednesday Family Day at Pigtails & Crewcuts. in Fayetteville 1 Haircut at full price, 2 Haircuts at $2 off, 3rd gets $4 off, etc.

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Rogers Historical Museum Summer Storytime Every Friday, 10 a.m., at Education Annex Youngsters age 4 through 8 can enjoy a story, hands-on history objects, and a craft with this series of free programs.

AUGUST 7

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BPL in the Community— Preschool Playdate @ Crystal Bridges 11:30 a.m.

Monthly Preschool Playdates feature performances, art projects, story time, and creative play based on themes from Crystal Bridge’s collection. Activities are geared for children ages 2 to 5 with an adult, and begin with a family-friendly performance in the Great Hall at 11:30 a.m.

WOW | Wednesday Over Water 6-7 p.m.

Crystal Bridges Sample selections of drinks and hors d’oeuvres from Eleven, inspired by a Crystal Bridges’ collection and temporary exhibitions.

Open to guests ages 21 and above. $30 ($24 for Members), register online or 479.657.2335.

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Bentonville Library Story Time 9:30 a.m. - Baby Play & Rhyme Time 10:30 a.m. - Preschool Storytime SUPPORT GROUPS (Free, No registration required) Benton County Breast­feeding Mamas Meetup 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Birth Center of NWA www.bcnwa.com

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Fayetteville Roots Festival August 28 - 31, 2014 Fayetteville Roots Festival is a four-day urban music festival. The mainstages will be hosted in multiple locations across Fayetteville including George’s Majestic Lounge, Greenhouse Grille, Kingfish Dive Bar, Fayetteville Public Library and the Fayetteville Farmer’s Market. Fayetteville Roots Festival’s key components are music, food and community.

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Rogers Historical Museum Summer Storytime Every Friday, 10 a.m., at Education Annex Youngsters age 4 through 8 can enjoy a story, hands-on history objects, and a craft with this series of free programs.

Family Workshop | Letter Art 6:30 to 8p.m.

Crystal Bridges Choose your family’s name or initials to make paintings as unique as you are. All materials are provided. $20 per family ($16 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

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Rogers Historical Museum Summer Storytime Every Friday, 10 a.m., at Education Annex Youngsters age 4 through 8 can enjoy a story, hands-on history objects, and a craft with this series of free programs.

Elementary Events (K-5th grade) Back to Bash - Fayetteville Public Library 4 p.m.

Join us for afternoon of fun before school starts! Register online at www.faylib.org

30th Annual Frisco Festival Rogers MainStreetRogers.com Celebrating 30 years of Frisco Festival, this annual community party features live music on the Frisco Stage, carnival rides, bike rides, road races and other competitions, along with delicious food of all kinds and ice-cold beverages.

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Kids Day at the Farmers Market Siloam Springs mainstreetsiloam.org A bounce castle, crafts, activities, story time and live music light up the market on Kids Day at the Market 9 a.m. - noon.

Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County SkyDive for Kids August 9 & 10 Skydive Skyranch in Siloam Springs.

Sign up to jump or support the cause safely from the ground!

Learn more at www.cacbentonco.com Comfort Measures for Birth $25 - Limit 6 couples 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Birth Center of NWA www.bcnwa.com

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READ WITH ZAIDA @ BENTONVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY 10:30 a.m.

Meet Zaida, an English Mastiff therapy dog, with her handler Miss Trish. Miss Trish will read stories and explain the Yellow Dog Project.

KFHfL “A Cool Summer Homecoming” 6 p.m. - 11 p.m. http://kendrickfincher.org/calendar-ofevents/a-cool-summer-homecoming/ Join us for an evening of dinner, dancing, silent auctions, crowning of the Homecoming Court King & Queen, and our featured guest speaker Scottie Pippen. All proceeds will benefit Kendrick Fincher Hydration for Life whose mission is to: promote proper hydration and prevent heat illness through education and supporting activities. August is Heat Stroke Awareness Month.

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The by: Katrina Osborne Photos by: Jessica Ritchie

I

Butterfly Effect

n science, the “butterfly effect” is a phenomenon in which something as small and seemingly insignificant as a butterfly flapping its wings could be the catalyst for weather conditions halfway around the world. One miniscule action that creates waves of change is exactly where my story begins. My daughter, Ashton Faye Osborne, was born on March 15, 2011.

She was five weeks early, but otherwise healthy at five pounds, five ounces.

My intuition told me that there was something wrong with her. My husband agreed, but no one else seemed to notice. They sent us home after a normal time in the hospital. As time went on, my suspicions grew. She was extremely fussy. All. The. Time. Eating was a huge challenge. She took a long time to nurse due to constant breaks to cough and swallow. Ashton seemed to hardly grow. Watching her sitting in her bumbo at 6 months, she hardly fit, while other kids her age were filling it out. She couldn’t hold her head up yet, either. At her 6-month appointment I finally wasn’t the only one that was noticing her differences. She was around the third percentile for height and weight and was missing her milestones. The pediatrician recommended physical therapy—but that was all.

We thought physical therapy would be the key to her catching up, but that wasn’t the case. When she was 8 months old, I woke up with the strongest feeling to take her to the ENT right away. I now believe that feeling was God’s hand. I called that day and begged them to see us. Dr. Johnson, at Ear Nose and Throat Center of the Ozarks, decided to put a camera down

44 August 2014

her throat and discovered a paralyzed left sided vocal cord. We were given directions to thicken all liquids so she wouldn’t be at risk of aspirating—or breathing in liquids to her lungs. After 8 months of feeling discouraged, this was the first step towards real progress.

At 9 months old, I felt certain Ashton needed to see a geneticist. Her wonderful therapists at All Aboard Pediatric Therapy and The Therapy Spot agreed, and we were referred to Developmental Pediatrician Dr. Karkos at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. With their convenient satellite clinic, The Center for Children, in Lowell, we were able to see the doctor close to home. The appointment lasted nearly 3 hours, while she listened patiently to all I wanted to tell her about Ashton. It was so nice to finally have someone to hear all my concerns and have some solutions. She gave Ashton a diagnosis of global delays since she was delayed in almost all areas. She also suggested genetic testing but informed us that insurance would probably not cover the thousands of dollars of costs. This was on top of all the therapy we were already paying out of pocket for since insurance only covered a certain number of therapy hours per year and we had far exceeded that. Nonetheless, we proceeded with the blood test.

Eight weeks later it came back with an abnormality on one of her X chromosomes with a suspicion of Turner Syndrome. We needed a different type of genetic test to get more specific information. The results of that test gave us a diagnosis of Ring X Turner Syndrome.

Suddenly, that simple blood test opened many doors.

We knew things to look for, common problems to test

for, and things to be prepared for. We had specialists to meet with regularly, and we were able to get the services we needed to help pay for all the therapy Ashton needs. Where so many doors had been closed, they were now not only opening, but shedding light on the dark months we had faced.

Being immersed in this world of special needs kids, I’m disheartened to see how limited people are because they can’t afford the tests. Knowledge is power.

Having a diagnosis is a jumping-off point for tests and therapies that can save their child’s life and give them their best chance at reaching their full potential.

www.butterflyrace.com

My husband and I are runners. If you know anything about the running community, you know that runners stick together. I began sharing the idea of hosting a 5K to raise money for genetic testing. My running buddies were enthusiasti,c so I called Mike Rush, owner of Rush Running, and another figure in the running community, Jeff Genova. They wanted to help and showed me how to get started. Momentum was starting and I could see we were on to big things.

My husband and I set up a nonprofit aptly named The Butterfly Effect. Our next step was to contact ACH Foundation. They set up a fund in their genetics department for our money to go.

Our first 5K, The Butterfly Race in downtown Springdale, was, thanks to the help from so many, a huge success. We had an incredible turnout and raised $10,000 to donate to our fund at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. We helped three families obtain diagnoses.

That may not seem like a lot, but I know first-hand how much it means to these families and their children just to have this information. This year, my goal is to help many more families by making the race an even bigger success--and we need sponsors!

Ashton has become a firecracker! She is tiny, but her spark is huge! Thanks to the blessing of wonderful therapists we have grown to love as family, she has learned to eat, drink without thickeners, show affection, talk, walk, and RUN—everywhere! All these wonderful things she is able to do, with the help of that small little test. Small things—a little girl, an idea, a blood test—can bring about big changes in this world, just like the butterfly effect.

The Butterfly Race is presented by Walmart.

To become a sponsor for The Butterfly Race taking place in November 2014, please contact me via our website, www.butterflyrace.com.

Y

ou can easily get mired in the confusion that surrounds dyslexia—a disorder not recognized by some and a term used by others to label any difficulty with reading. Passage of Arkansas legislation (Act 1294) that provides for testing and implementation of programs in schools lays the foundation for less confusion and more school services for students with dyslexia. According to this legislation, dyslexia is a specific learning disability, neurological in origin, and characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition, as well as poor spelling and decoding abilities that result from a deficit in the phonological component of language, and often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities.

Note: For more information about Arkansas’ Dyslexia Law, www.thedyslexiaproject.com

Act 1294 encompasses the classic definition of dyslexia as a disruption in the “phonological component of language,” the ability to blend and segment speech sounds.

It’s also consistent with the research definition used by the National Institutes of Health. Some interventionists consider dyslexia to be either sound-based (phonological, auditory), visually-based, or a combination of these (Byrne, 2011).

Reading does require both visual and auditory processing, along with other cognitive skills.

While a child’s letter reversals may indicate dyslexia, they’re considered developmental and expected in children younger than seven years of age, decreasing in frequency as your child nears age seven and goes beyond.

46 August 2014

Concerned about Your child’s reading? What’s a According to Shaywitz (1998), dyslexia is a brain-based type of learning disability that specifically impairs a person’s ability to read and affects 5 to 17% of U.S. children. Reading depends on these cognitive skills (brain skills) for consistent success: Attention: Sustained attention is the ability to stay on task.

Selective attention the ability not to be distracted; divided attention the ability to handle more than one task at a time.

You need good attention skills to be an efficient reader, block out distractions as you read, and sustain your attention to complete a chapter, for example.

Short-Term (Working) Memory: The ability to apprehend and hold information in immediate awareness while simultaneously performing a mental operation. As you read, the ability to hold in memory what you’ve read is important in order to relate it to what’s read as you continue.

Processing Speed: The ability to perform automatic cognitive tasks, particularly when measured under pressure to maintain focused attention. Reading happens quickly and in school is sometimes timed, for example, when being tested.

Logic & Reasoning: The ability to reason, form concepts, and solve problems using unfamiliar information or novel procedures is important for reading comprehension— understanding what you’re reading and relating what’s read to what you know.

Visual Processing: The ability to perceive and analyze visual images is important for making sense of the form of words. Thinking in visual images is important for comprehending and remembering what’s read.

Auditory Processing (Phonemic Awareness): The ability to analyze, blend, and segment sounds. This is the basis of word attack for sounding out new words.

Long-Term Memory: The ability to recall information that was stored in the past. As you read, recall of rules for spelling and pronunciation is needed, as well as the recall of one’s foundation of knowledge to understand what’s being read.

After reviewing 62 different studies, Dr. Lori Bryan (2013) concludes that increasing neuro-scientific evidence shows intervention for dyslexia must address all of the above cognitive skills—not just reading and phonics.

Therefore, a goal of cognitive training programs for individuals with dyslexia is to strengthen all weak cognitive abilities that will ultimately result in sustained reading improvements.

dyslexia?

by: Suzanne Miltich Ph.D, Center Director, LearningRx Bentonville

When looking for an effective program to remediate reading difficulties, whatever the cause, find out how these criteria are being met:

parent to do?

Successful reading is the result of the interaction between multiple brain regions through distributed networks, and reading strategies must engage auditory and visual systems, working memory, comprehension skills, and executive functioning. Unfortunately, few reading interventions are this comprehensive— most are focused on only a subset of the cognitive skills essential for reading. Recommendations for reading intervention based on evidence from neuroscientific studies show a common factor underlying the more successful interventions is an approach that is systematic, intensive and sustained (Bryan, 2013).

Few programs are delivered in an intense manner, though they may be systematic and sustained, taking longer to produce the desired results than would be needed if the program were more intense.

1. Does the program address all the cognitive skills needed for reading? Attention? Memory?

Processing Speed? Logic & Reasoning? Auditory Processing? Visual Processing?

2. Is the program systematic? Delivered in an intense manner? On an intense schedule? Note: In order to change brain skills, research shows that four sessions are needed each week.

3. How long is the program? How long does it take to achieve a year’s gain in reading skills? How does program cost relate to gains and duration?

Insist on help that addresses all the cognitive (brain) skills needed for reading and has a systematic, sustained approach delivered in an intensive format, intensity within a session that includes more doing than explaining or talking about and a frequent schedule that includes at least four sessions per week.

This kind of program will give you greater progress over a shorter period of time and for less total cost.

You’ll see your child become a better reader faster.

Goodnight T

hey say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If that is truly the case, Margaret Wise Brown, author of the popular children’s book, Goodnight Moon, would have been over the moon, so to speak, about Goodnight, Fayetteville.

Fay

Children all over have been falling asleep to the words first written by Brown in 1947. Many decades later, children are now falling asleep to the words written in the same tone, but by different authors, in different cities, all over the country.

Goodnight San Francisco, Goodnight Houston and Goodnight NOLA are just a few of the adaptations of the original book that have been published over the years. Goodnight Fayetteville recently joined this elite club of forward-thinking literary cities, employing a creative and local twist on an old favorite.

Jennifer Irwin has been saying goodnight to Fayetteville for over 20 years and now this

Peekaboo: Where do the proceeds from the sale of Goodnight Fayetteville go with regard to serving our community?

Peekaboo: Have you ever written a children’s book before Goodnight Fayetteville?

JI: This is my very first book. I saw that some other places had written books about their cities and it just seemed like the right thing to do! It was really pretty easy to think of the iconic places to include, and it honestly just came together.

Peekaboo: Where is your hometown?

JI: I am originally from Dallas. I came to Fayetteville to attend the University of Arkansas and I never meant to stay this long, but I’ve had some amazing opportunities here.

Peekaboo: What made you fall in love with Fayetteville?

JI: So many things… the people, the university and the Hogs, the seasons, the culture. Fayetteville is a truly wonderful place to live, work and play!

Peekaboo: What was your favorite book as a young girl growing up?

JI: I loved reading anything by Judy Blume or Beverly Cleary.

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JI: The Fayetteville Chamber promotes and funds the Stephen Covey “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” training in our elementary schools as a part of workforce development and leadership training. This “Leader in Me” program costs approximately $40,000 per school, which goes toward training teachers and staff, providing all materials for the students and providing a license to the online materials from Covey. We are presently operating in three elementary schools and plan to have all nine elementary schools covered by 2018.

The Chamber will also make annual donations to the art departments in the Fayetteville Public School District with additional proceeds from Goodnight Fayetteville.

Peekaboo: With your career in broadcast journalism and communications, have you always had a passion for sharing stories?

JI: Absolutely. I love to talk to other people and I definitely like to tell stories!

Peekaboo: What has been the single most rewarding part of seeing this idea of a book come to life?

JI: The art teachers in the Fayetteville Public School District did an amazing job with the illustrations. They brought the iconic images of Fayetteville to life and made

yetteville

common phrase, “Goodnight, Fayetteville,” means even more to her and the city she loves. Jennifer attended college at the University of Arkansas, and, after graduating, decided to make Fayetteville her home. We recently sat down with Jennifer to learn a little more about the author of “Goodnight Fayetteville”—what inspired her to write this book and more about her heartfelt love for Fayetteville.

“Goodnight Fayetteville” can be purchased online at www.fayettevillear.com or at one of the following locations: Bella Jacks, Collier Drug Stores, Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, Fayetteville Visitor’s Bureau, Nightbird Books, Party House/3Monkeys, Rick’s Bakery, Riffraff and Uptown Eyes.

Questions & Answers:

this book what it is. Without the great artwork, the book would not have been near as much fun.

Peekaboo: What is your biggest pet peeve?

JI: People who drive slow in the left lane!

Peekaboo: Do you prefer cats or dogs?

JI: I love dogs. I have a standard poodle, Abby.

Peekaboo: What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

JI: Red wine.

Peekaboo: What is your favorite movie of all time?

JI: Either “The Shawshank Redemption” or “Steel Magnolias”. But, I have to say, “Wedding Crashers” makes me laugh out loud every time.

Peekaboo: What was the last book you read?

JI: The One and Only by Emily Giffin Peekaboo: What is your fondest childhood memory?

JI: During the summer, my sister and I would jump on our bikes and ride down the street to the park, meet up with our friends and spend the whole day riding around the neighborhood.

Those were the days…. no worries about anything at all. We would only go home when we had to go to the bathroom or when we got hungry!

by: Warren Cox

T

here is no single thing more human than the question “why.” The child lives at the heart of wonder, each day bringing with it new insight about the expansive world they have inherited. Our job as adults is to keep that inspiration to explore going and witness our little ones excel every step along the way.

If we neglect this duty, we may very well be forced to hear increasing numbers of our next generation protest: “I am bad at science!” This phrase will be uttered at least once no matter where I visit.

Impossible, I say! As the relationship adage holds: “You just haven’t met the right one yet.” There is a science for each and everyone of us, and each young mind that walks into the classroom owes it to their world to find out what sparks a reaction.

Science is a critical tool for life,and is the essence of being a real live human being. The scientist becomes a servant for the greater good, and without such contemplation the individual risks being trapped in a troubling, small-minded world. As a nation, we owe it to ourselves to endeavor to get such selfless scholars back into the high positions since occupied by those who would, in good conscience, sell salt to a snail. We absolutely need scientists; we need researchers and engineers; and we have many sick people that have only the hope of medicine yet to exist. It is humbling to think that many of us are only here today because of the advances made by scientific revolution.

52 August 2014

By raising a young scientist, you are equipping a future thinker with a firm grasp on the world around them.

Kids active in science have a great advantage against negative forces such as peer pressure or irrational childhood fears. A child gains a valuable sense of stability standing on the shoulders of giants. The guidance and lessons of the past allow a person the confidence to go forward boldly. A child begins to see a new significance in themselves, as well as a valuable sense of authority over what they allow others to make them think or feel. It is a very healthy way to instill a genuine confidence, while also equally adopting the humble realization that there is far more to this world than ourselves.

Mad Science is the world’s leader in fun science enrichment for children.

Through interactive, safe and spetaular presentations, we spark imaginative learning and bring awesome science to your location!

Call us at 479-444-0303, or visit www.madscience.org/nwa

The aim of science education is daunting, and, of all primary academics, it has the most ground to cover. I feel that a lot of kids are uneasy with the pronounced variance between topics covered in school.

Educators are wedged between the need to expose their students to a survey of science and the desire to kindle an individual interest in digging deeper into entire chapters that the school day isn’t enough to accommodate.

Parents sometimes feel anxious when requested to interact with their student’s science learning, when there is truly no need.

Science is always open and changing, revealing new information that may have simply been overlooked with outdated methods or technology.

There is a good chance you might just learn something new. Your own ability to learn, even as a grown up, will be respected and emulated.

Fortunately, science fiction is at a fever pitch, in tune with the uptrend in science enthusiasm. Even superheroes, as far out as some of their tales may be, exist in lavish worlds where avant garde technology exists alongside riveting action and drama. A host of modern cartoons treat science with a deal of reverence, and themes of technology can be found in increasingly frequent animated features.

The uncannily gorgeous effects that are rendered by modern technicians also serve to make the science

documentary far more engaging than those produced for previous generations. We are truly blessed with high definition translations of sights and sounds that our ancestors could in fact only imagine, or if very lucky (or unlucky, as case may be), experience firsthand.

The public opinion of science is at an all time high, and the ignorance-fueled days that labeled the scientifically inclined as “nerds” who were more socially acceptable wearing trashcans are gone. It really is amazing how the attitudes have morphed radically in the favor of the informed kid. No longer is being hooked on matters of a geeky nature a social stigma due for ridicule, but instead a badge of honor.

Science is cool, and by winning the hearts and minds of a misunderstanding public, pioneers in science communication like Don Herbert (Mr. Wizard) and Bill Nye (The Science Guy), among others, have over the years made geek chic. It is time to get your family in on the excitement and grow with this noble new world of learning.

This school year, jump into the unknown with your little explorer. It is my opinion that a lifetime love of learning is the single greatest lesson we can ever teach our kids, one that will serve them every step of their journey. Don’t let your child have to stumble out there alone.

The Family Behind

The Family Behind NWA’s TCBY

NWA’s TCBY L

ongtime Northwest Arkansas residents Jared and Sarah Greer are the proud parents of Bennett, 3, and Scarlett, 9 months, and they are also the proud “parents” of Northwest Arkansas’ only TCBY store, located at 2005 Promenade Boulevard in Rogers. If juggling the demands of parenthood and small business ownership weren’t enough, the Greers also own a residential rental property business in Fayetteville and both work full-time jobs in medical sales.

“Life is very busy, without a doubt,” said Sarah Greer.

“We have to really focus on being efficient with our time in order to accomplish all of our professional goals each day and still maximize our time with our most important priorities, Bennett and Scarlett.”

The Great TCBY Store Giveaway Northwest Arkansas TCBY opened in April 2011 after the Greers won a merit-based national competition in 2010 called “The Great TCBY Store Giveaway.” TCBY hosted the competition to celebrate 30 years in business and generate buzz around their new at the time selfserve format stores, with the grand prize being a TCBY store valued at $325,000. Jared and Sarah were required to create and submit a two-minute video and 500-word essay explaining why they should be the new owners of a TCBY franchise and Northwest Arkansas should be the location. Based on the video

and essay, they were chosen as one of 10 national semifinalists out of over 100 entrants. Semifinalists then had to earn votes from the public, and the Greers earned more than three times as many votes as the next closest competitor. After being selected as one of five national finalists, they created and submitted a 25-page business plan and completed a two-week interview process with TCBY executive management.

At the conclusion of the highly competitive process, Jared was surprised on live television by TCBY President Michael Ward and selected as the national winners of The Great TCBY Store Giveaway. “We have a tremendous life-long passion for TCBY and their high-quality products,” Jared said. “We were devastated that Northwest Arkansas had gone more than a decade without a TCBY location, and we are so excited to be able to bring ‘The Country’s Best Yogurt’ back to the country’s best place to live—Northwest Arkansas.”

Locally owned with Healthy Benefits It means a lot to Jared and Sarah to be the owners of a local business, especially one that has such strong Arkansas roots. The first TCBY store was opened in Little Rock by Frank D. Hickingbotham in 1981. Jared even worked at a TCBY location in North Little Rock when he was in high school. “We have been passionate about TCBY for almost 30 years,” Sarah said. “Jared and I both have very fond memories of spending

56 August 2014

family time at TCBY when we were kids. It seemed like we celebrated almost all of our life events at TCBY. I remember going there after dance recitals, to celebrate a good report card at school, after church on Sunday’s.

TCBY is just such a perfect place, because the frozen yogurt tastes so good that kids think they are eating ice cream, but the parents can feel good knowing that frozen yogurt is a very healthy treat”.

Key to Work-Family Balance WAke UP early Plan each day the night before Multi-task Prioritize Keep a to-do list/Be organized Automate Manage your day efficiently

In fact, the health attributes of TCBY frozen yogurt are a very important reason TCBY has been so successful. Most TCBY flavors contain between 70 to 120 calories and 0 to 2 grams of fat per serving, and include a special combination of nutrients that work together to improve your overall sense of wellbeing (fiber, probiotics, vitamin D, calcium, protein, and vitamin A).

Ice cream tips the scales at 300+

calories and 15 to 20 grams of fat per serving, so it is easy to see how TCBY frozen yogurt can help you satisfy your sweet tooth and stay healthy at the same time. “I am a great example of how TCBY yogurt can be a great fit for a healthy lifestyle,” Jared said. “I lost about 50 pounds in 2012 and ate TCBY yogurt almost every day to satisfy my cravings for something sweet.”

Work-Family Balance While it is very important for Jared and Sarah to be successful professionally, the most important thing to both of them is spending time with their children. “Bennett was born 6 weeks before we opened TCBY in 2011. We were also building a house at the time, managing our residential rental business in Fayetteville, and both working full-time jobs in medical sales, so you can imagine that it was a very stressful time,” Jared said. “For the first 4 to 6 months after the store opened, I would work from about 5 a.m. to midnight, pretty much 7 days per week; and on top of taking care of a newborn, Sarah was juggling her professional responsibilities and helping out with the businesses. We were fortunate to have a lot of family support from both of our parents and siblings during that time. “We knew that we couldn’t function at that pace for

long, so we developed a plan to implement systems and processes at TCBY, and in our lives, that would allow us to manage our professional responsibilities and also focus on our family.” A major component of this plan was hiring a full-time general manager at TCBY. “Leslie Crismon has been the general manager since the very beginning. She has been instrumental in getting the store open, developing the systems and processes we use to operate the store, and managing the day-to-day operations of the store and our 15 to 20 employees,” explained Jared. “She is phenomenal.

Without her, Northwest Arkansas TCBY would not have been as successful as it has been.” In November

2013, Jared, Sarah and Bennett welcomed Scarlett to the Greer family. “We have been tremendously blessed with two sweet, beautiful children,” Sarah said. “Our number one priority is to teach them the life lessons they need so they can grow up to be kind, compassionate and hardworking adults. The most important thing we want them to know is that they are loved no matter what, but we also hope that our work ethics and lifestyle will model for them the behaviors we want them to learn.

We think that growing up around Northwest Arkansas TCBY will provide them a lot of opportunities to learn these attributes.” And of course, it also provides an opportunity to eat a lot of really tasty frozen yogurt.

Northwest Arkansas TCBY 2005 Promenade Boulevard, Suite 140 • Rogers • (479) 636-TCBY (8229) Hours of operation: 11 AM – 10 PM Sunday – Thursday • 11 AM – 11 PM Friday – Saturday

’ Dads view A

by Ben Lacy

C.H.I.L.D. Play

s I routinely forget whenever new situations come up with the kiddos, it is now 2014, not 1984. Things change and “the way things were” always morphs into the “way things are.” High-tech, melon-shielding bike helmets and Nascar-level 5-point seat belts are in; sitting on the wheel well of a rusted pick-up truck while speeding down the highway and climbing 20-foot-tall metal jungle gyms supported by large concrete pads are out. Yes, it is stunning that the kids of the ‘70s/’80s made it out alive, but it is also equally amazing to see the level of protection levied upon those born post-Y2K. Okay, so practicing football in full pads in August without water was probably a bit dumb.

But, putting your in kid in full Kevlar to have a Nerf gun fight? To channel former NFL wide receiver and current ESPN personality Chris Carter: “COME ON MAN!” As with most things, the “Goldilocks Zone” of habitability is somewhere in the middle.

Play dates have also changed. As the dad of the fam, I was completely clueless of the complexity of the play date conjuncture. Growing up, my M.O. was, “Hey Mom, I’m going to play.” Destination unknown, participants TBA, return time TBD. Today, however, Play dates require event planning that rival a Kardashian wedding. It is a fully structured, scripted, researched and planned event. If you are new to the play date planet, I am here to help with the patented Complete Hospitality Invitation Lowdown & Discovery Form--or ,the C.H.I.L.D. Play Date Form.

Okay, so it’s really not that crazy, but you didn’t pay good money to read a boring article (wink, wink).

The fact is, as parents, people, patrons of this fair land, we all do what we can to “correct” all of those mistakes our parent’s made. (Note: as you get older, they oddly get smarter.) The problem is, to mooch a Wal*mart phrase, we tend to go “ditch-to-ditch.”

Meaning, instead of small course corrections in childhood guidance, we tend to yank the wheel harder than the Duke boys; and then are genuinely surprised when we create all new problems.

So, my unsolicited advice this month to all you middle-aged plebeians is to search for that middle ground in sprout safety. Somewhere to the right of Nancy Grace and left of the Hunger Games.

58 August 2014

Play Date The C.H.I.L.D. n Lowdown & tatio Invi Complete Hospitality

______ Child’s Name____________________________________ ____ ______ ______ ______ Parent’s Names_________________ ___ ______ ______ ______ Grandparent’s Name____________ __ ______ ______ Neighbor’s Names_______________________ _____ ______ Best Friend’s Name________________________ ___ Second Best Friend’s Name________________________ _______ Date of Last Play Date_________________________ ___ Location of Last Play Date_________________________ __ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ Date_ Play Requested ___ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ Alternate Dates _____ Primary Care Physician__________________________ ______ Last Tetanus Shot_______________________________ ____ Travel Sport Team Name________________________ ______ Travel Team Coach______________________________ _____ iPhone Model/Version___________________________ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ Mac or PC___ Known Allergies Dairy____________________ Nuts____________________ Soy______________________

Wheat___________________ Grass ____________________ Everything______________

Dietary Requirements ________ Gluten Free_____________ Kosher__________ ________ Low Carb________________ Organic_________ ________ Low Fat__________________ Vegetarian______ Water Preference Dasani___________________ Aquafina________________ Perrier__________________

Evian____________________ Fiji______________________

Date Form Form

Discover y

________ Address______________________________________ ________ City___________________________________________ ________ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ Subdivision______ _______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ School Zone______ _____ ______ ______ ______ ______ Current Teacher’s Name ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ Last Quarter GPA_______ ____ Father’s Cell Phone_____________________________ _____ ______ ______ ______ Mother’s Cell Phone___________ Mother’s 5 Top Facebook Friends ___ ___________________________ ________________________ ___ ______ ___________________________ __________________ ___________________________ ____ Mother’s Car Make/Model______________________ _ ______ ______ ______ Date of Last Oil Change__________ ____ ______ ______ Date of Last Tire Rotation_________ ____ Father’s Car Make/Model______________________ ______ ______ Date of Last Oil Change________________ ____ Date of Last Tire Rotation_____________________ Select Allowed Electronics _______ Wii______________________ iPhone___________ __ ______ ______ Xbox 360________________ iPad_______ __ ______ ______ PlayStation 1____________ Pong_______ __ ______ PlayStation 2____________ Minecraft_______ ________ PlayStation 3____________ Battlefield_______ _______ PlayStation 4____________ Halo_____________ _______ Nintendo 64____________ Call of Duty_______ _______ ______ Kart_ Mario __ ______ Atari 2600______ ____ ______ ______ Man_ Pac __ iTouch_________________ ___ Drop-Off Time_____________________________________ ____ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ Pick-Up Time_ *All Times CST

The New School

A Great Fit for Your Child Finding the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions a family can make.

The curriculum, schedule, class size, special programs, tuition and environment all determine whether a school is the right fit for your child and family. At The New School, we ensure this process is welcoming and stress-free. Here is some information to help guide this important conversation.

Student-centered

To start, we look at the personality of your child and his or her passions. Does your child prefer a structured and quiet learning environment or does she thrive with independence? At The New School, we have these conversations to help understand your child’s needs and preferences. It is important for us to understand his or her passions and interests so we can inspire and challenge your child to help grow their strengths.

Mission and Philosophy

We are dedicated to inspiring a love of learning and empowering students to reach their potential for academic achievement, creativity and citizenship. Our teachers believe that children learn best in a positive environment with careful direction and guidance from teachers who demonstrate care and concern for each child.

Small Classes

Students often experience more success when in smaller classes, where individualized attention and instruction are key components to effective learning.

With a low student-to-faculty ratio, students at The New School are known and cared for by an outstanding faculty in an encouraging environment.

Innovative Curriculum

The New School’s strong curriculum is focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM). We encourage students to participate in leadership opportunities, artistic activities and community service. A well-rounded student will be equipped to carry vital skills and knowledge into the larger world.

Caring Community

School is a second home to students and the school culture should mirror a caring family. The New School atmosphere not only fosters a sense of close community within its walls, but also works to make the larger Northwest Arkansas community a better place.

The New School

Excellence in Education Since 1971

62 August 2014

Founded in 1971, The New School is Northwest Arkansas’ premier independent school providing a student-centered, innovative education for more than 300 students starting at age 1 through grade 7. Settled on a beautiful 26-acre wooded campus that is Natural Wildlife Habitat certified, facilities include a 350-seat auditorium and dance and art studios.

To schedule a tour, please contact Adam Halford at adam.halford@thenewschool. org. or visit www.thenewschool.org.

Kimberly Williams is a pastor’s homeschooling mo wife, ther, author, an importantly, a di d most sciple of is for the Christia Jesus Christ. Her heart the discipleship of n family and encouraging writes about it the next generation. She Discipleship: Much in her newest book, “Home More th She would love to an ABC’s and 123’s.” hear from www.homedisciples hip.net or on he you at r blog www.untilthedayd awn.wordpress.comat .

Homeschooling in Northwest Arkansas by: Kimberly Williams

Thirty years ago, the homeschooling movement was considered to be at best cutting-edge, eccentric, and alternative. At its worst it was considered strange, rare, and, in some states, illegal.

But today the movement has become more mainstream.

Currently, with over 2 million home-educated children in the United States, homeschooling is the fastest growing form of education in our country.

The state of Arkansas is no different. According to the Arkansas Department of Education’s latest report, homeschooling has grown from 572 students in 1986 to 17,215 students in 2013.

There are many reasons parents take on the responsibility to educate their children at home. The rationale varies, but often at the top of the list are religious or moral reasons. Parents want to pass their beliefs on to their children without the interference of government standards. Alternatively, some parents are academically motivated. They want to give their children a better education than the public system can offer. (Studies are proving that this is a very valid reason. In his 2011 research Dr. Brian D. Ray, at the National Home Education Research Institute, concludes that home-educated students typically score 15 to 30 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests.)

I have talked to parents who began to homeschool over common core concerns. Other parents say that health reasons or special needs of their children are the main motivation for home education. Social or political reasons, as well as family problems or safety concerns, are sometimes voiced. Often the reasons to homeschool are a combination of several factors and are as many and diverse as our nation and the people in it.

Our homeschool journey began in 2000 when my husband and I decided that we would teach our firstborn how to read. At first, the thought of educating our children was overwhelming, but we Resources: decided to travel down this path one year at a time. home-schools i. www.arkansased.org/divisions/learning-services/ Now, 14 years later, we can look back and say that it ii. www.nheri.org was one of the best decisions we have made as a family. iii. https://arkansashomeschool.org/ Homeschooling helps us develop a strong family bond df p Up. rows lingG iv. www.hslda.org/research/ray2003/ Homeschoo and allows us flexibility in our schedule. It also gives us the freedom to choose our children’s curriculum, establish customized teaching, and promote 64 August 2014

independent learning. But even more important, it is a conviction we have based on a calling from God. We are blessed to live in a fairly homeschool-friendly state. The state of Arkansas requires state testing for students in 3rd through 9th grade and for homeschool parents to fill out the intent to homeschool each year

by August 15. We are also blessed to live in an area with so many educational opportunities and resources.

Northwest Arkansas has over 3,500 registered homeschool students and a multitude of support groups.

Our support group is ETC of NWA. We offer a variety of classes for pre-school to high school. In addition field trips, mom’s meetings, service opportunities, and clubs are offered. This past year my children took art classes, science labs, taekwondo, and various other educational classes such as Arkansas history, literature, civics, survey of the Old and New Testaments and much more. The classes are held at Cornerstone Baptist in Bentonville each Wednesday during the school year.

(For more information, visit www.etcnwa.com.)

When homeschooling, there is no need to worry about the socialization issue either. In fact, there are so many opportunities for our children to meet friends and participate in extracurricular activities that if we are not careful, we will end up doing more socializing than schooling. Homeschool students in Northwest Arkansas have access to sports, fine arts activities, winter and spring formals, and a yearly graduation ceremony.

Are you considering homeschooling?

Let me encourage you to contact The Education Alliance, Arkansas’ largest state-wide home school organization. They provide a wealth of information to new homeschoolers. They explain homeschooling laws, offer assistance on getting started, make local homeschool group information available, and offer consulting when necessary. Even if you are not new to homeschooling, you benefit from the work of our state groups. Many groups help with high school transcripts and make college scholarship opportunities known.

While it is not possible for every family, homeschooling is proving to be a compelling option for many.

Statistics are verifying that most children who were home educated become well-rounded, hard-working, successful adults and engaged citizens. Dr. Brian Ray of NHERI researched adults who were homeschooled as children and found that the majority were glad they were homeschooled. They felt that being educated at home gave them an advantage as an adult. The study showed that 71% participate in ongoing community service activities, 96% have a good understanding of government and politics, and 74% continue on to college. When they were asked if they would homeschool their own children, over 82% said yes. In other words, homeschooling is not going anywhere.

No doubt we will see the homeschooling movement continue to grow and flourish in Northwest Arkansas and around the country.

From One Mom to Another:

Homeschooling Advice I homeschool my three grandchildren. They are four, five, and six years old. I think the tip I wish I would have had last year when I started homeschooling was to laminate workbook pages... That way, they can use them with dry erase markers and wipe them off and re-use the pages to hand them down to the next child.

My other tip is for separate work spaces for each child, that way they can each be working on their own thing.

- Cindy Bailey

Price and popularity does not mean that that curriculum is best for your family. Instead, choose your curriculum based on the needs and learning personalities of your children. Just because the lady next door uses it, doesn’t mean your child will learn science that same way. You are your child’s best teacher. You may not have gone to college, but who else will care more about your children’s future than you do?

You do not need a fancy room to homeschool in. My kids sit in the dining room, their beds, their desk, the front room, the library, or the park. You make do with what you have. It’s not about the room you are in. It’s about the process of learning.

Remember, the relationship you are building with your child as you educate them is equally as important as the information you are trying to impart to them. If your child shows an interest in something, go with that. For example, my first grader became intrigued with George Washington. So, we

stopped all we were doing for a week and focused on George Washington. We were able to have geography lessons studying about Virginia and DC, history, character lessons (honesty), art (crafts related to GW) and reading—as we read multiple books about him over the course of the week.

- Cassie Webster

Get up in the morning and get ready for the day. It’s tempting to stay in PJ’s since you are at home, but getting dressed and ready for the day lends a more structured approach to most days. Although, I confess, we have had some PJ’s-to-school days and they have been a blast!

- Robyn Thurman

If I were to give advice to someone just beginning their homeschooling adventure, I would tell them about all the times I cried watching the light turn on for them in one of those awakening moments of learning. I would also tell them about watching their daddy read a Bible lesson while they snuggled with him and hung on his every word. I would talk about not having to get up at 5AM to get everyone ready for school. Let’s be honest... who really wants to get up that early? I would talk about all of the unplanned learning experiences, and how the entire dynamic of our family changed with our decision to homeschool.

We live, love, play, fight, forgive and learn together. It is not always easy, but it has been an amazing journey and a blessing for our family. Homeschooling is not just about academic learning... It is about that and SO much more.

- Corey Addison

66 August 2014

Imagine Ad

the value of being a girl scout W

by: Emily Gassman

hen you think of Girl Scouts, you probably picture your old Brownie uniform that hung in your closet as a kid, or maybe you think of the hiking scene from Troop Beverly Hills, or maybe you just picture little girls at your doorstep selling those delicious cookies. There is a lot more to Girl Scouting, however, than you might first imagine from these scenes.

Built on 102 years of tradition, Girl Scouts is the premiere leadership organization for girls. The rich history and tradition of the organization remains a cornerstone in the programming today, but Girl Scouts is ever-evolving to fit the needs of today’s girls.

Imagine a new generation of leaders who lead in innovative ways: leaders who lead out of principle rather than pride, step across barriers of class and race every day, seek out the work that needs doing in the world, and who bring boundless energy to every challenge. They are today’s Girl Scouts.

We help every girl discover who she can be and what she can do, wherever she chooses to put her energies.

Through the vision of new Chief Executive Officer, Dawn Prasifka, Girl Scouts – Diamonds is moving forward at the speed of girls.

Girl Scouts focuses on encouraging girls to be courageous and strong and helping them develop their full individual potential. Girls have many opportunities, like engaging in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) through STEM-based activities like robotics, as well as travel the world, and even earn the Girl Scout Gold Award—the highest award a girl can earn and one that automatically launches recipients a rank higher in the military should they choose to join. Girl Scouts is more than cookies, camping and crafts. Girl Scouts is about building girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. But don’t worry—those ohso-scrumptious Girl Scout Cookies are still a big part of Girl Scouting. In fact, the $790 million Girl Scout Cookie business is the largest girl-led industry in the world and a tremendous financial literacy program for girls of all ages. Outdoor adventures are a huge part of the Girl Scout experience; whether it’s horseback riding, hiking, rock climbing or canoeing, girls enjoy the outdoors at one of our beautiful properties. Empowering girls is

68 August 2014

our focus, but having fun is a huge part of Girl Scouting. Through a learn-by-doing model, we give girls hands-on experience in leadership roles. We don’t simply teach them about leadership, we engage them in the process. Whether she’s helping plan her troop meeting or attending summer camp, we make sure girls are getting quality leadership skills in fun ways.

We know girls are busy and want to participate in many different activities. We offer flexibility in our membership to help figure out which pathway into Girl Scouts best fits. Every girl has options, and she can change course at any time. The first step is simply to decide to be a Girl Scout.

Come out to The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks (4703 N Crossover Road, Fayetteville) from 10 a.m. to noon on August 23rd to learn more about our program, meet local staff and fellow Girl Scouts!

We’re also always looking for amazing, passionate, energetic adults to help us lead girls and help them discover themselves and the world around them.

You’ll be making a lasting impact on the lives of young girls. We’ll give you the information and support you need, and you’ll have lots of fun doing it! Just as our membership pathways are flexible, so are our volunteer opportunities! We’ve got lots of options to help fit Girl Scouts into anyone’s busy schedule.

For more information about how to join, volunteer or events in your area please call 800-632-6894 or visit www.girlscoutsdiamonds.org!

When you think of Girl Scouts, you probably picture your old Brownie uniform that hung in your closet as a kid, or maybe you think of the hiking scene from Troop Beverly Hills, or maybe you just picture little girls at your doorstep selling those delicious cookies.

There is a lot more to Girl Scouting, however, than you might first imagine from these scenes.

Built on 102 years of tradition, Girl Scouts is the premiere leadership organization for girls. The rich history and tradition of the organization remains a cornerstone in the programming today, but Girl Scouts is ever-evolving to fit the needs of today’s girls. Imagine a new generation of leaders who lead in innovative ways: leaders who lead out of principle rather than pride, step across barriers of class and race every day, seek out the work that needs doing in the world, and who bring boundless energy to every challenge. They are today’s Girl Scouts. We help every girl discover who she can be and what she can do, wherever she chooses to put her energies. Through the vision of new Chief Executive Officer, Dawn Prasifka, Girl Scouts – Diamonds is moving forward at the speed of girls.

Girl Scouts focuses on encouraging girls to be

What Parents Need to Know About ADHD and ADD

M

By Dr. Craig Keever, M.D. The Children’s Clinic at Springdale

edical and behavioral sciences now have several decades of experience in diagnosis and treatment of ADHD and ADD. In days gone by, these problems were likely highly over-diagnosed. It often seemed that just about any behavioral or learning problem experienced by a child in school was thrown in to this category. In fact, there may be some areas of the country where this still occurs. Northwest Arkansas should no longer be one of these areas.

Research has clearly shown many different problems which can look very much like an attention problem.

However, unless ADHD/ADD is actually a proper diagnosis, using certain medications will just not help.

In fact, some problems can be made worse by using these medications, even though they are safe and effective for treating ADHD/ADD. As a practicing pediatrician in this area for over 12 years, I have occasionally encountered a child who was “diagnosed” with ADHD/ADD using only a couple of forms and a brief medical examination. Often, these kids have not been responding well to medication therapy. On further evaluation by specialists, other problems were then discovered. Once a problem has been accurately diagnosed, it usually becomes easier to treat.

The path to proper and accurate diagnosis of these problems can take a few weeks, sometimes longer. My philosophy is that a good psychological evaluation by a well-trained psychologist is a bare minimum. It should be the first step after the initial doctor visit. In some cases, this evaluation may be adequate to at least start therapy.

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However, sometimes in kids younger than 8 (and definitely in kids less than age 6) referrals to speech and occupational therapy are very important. This combination of specialists will detect a majority of the problems that might initially appear to be ADHD/ ADD. Occasionally, children are found to have one or more “co-morbid” conditions making diagnosis treatment more challenging.

Once an accurate diagnosis is made, the next question becomes: “What therapy to use?” There are actually several alternatives. Some are more effective than others. When looking scientifically at results, the most effective means of treatment for most people with ADHD/ADD is stimulant medication. There are many different forms of stimulant medications available. Over time, most people with ADHD/ADD are able to find a medication and dose which controls symptoms adequately with a minimum of un-wanted side effects. Other forms of treatment include nonstimulant and educational/behavioral therapy. While behavioral therapies may be helpful in some cases, it is very rarely effective without using medication as well.

ADHD/ADD is a chronic, long-term problem.

Generally speaking, proper diagnosis should be a wellthought-out process. Once proper diagnosis has been accomplished, and treatment started, it needs regular and long-term follow up to make sure the medication is working well with a minimum side effects.

Dr. Craig Keever, MD has been a practicing pediatrician in Northwest Arkansas for 12 years.

He currently practices at The Children’s Clinic at Springdale located at 3057 Springdale Ave. in Springdale. For information or to make an appointment, call 479-751-2522.

Girls

Night out!

by: Kim Enderle

So, last month, instead of stressing in my bathroom for two hours before going out with my friends, I decided instead to spend that time with them and we got our hair done together. It was a super-fun way to spend more time together while getting a hair “fix” that was much more stylish than anything I could have done myself.

I invited seven of my best gals to meet at Dead Swanky Blow Dry Bar in Fayetteville. They kept it open way after closing time, and set out wine, cheese and fruit for us to snack on while we talked, gossiped and got our hair styled by the professionals.

I love planning “GNOs” where we do things I would only want to do with my closest

Blow Dry Bar 479.587.1050 1364 Augustine Lane, Fayetteville www.deadswankysalon.com/blow-dry-bar

G

oing out with a group of friends, especially when you’ve got a bustling career and family life, is more than just a fun event to pass the time. It is much more powerful than that. Girls’ night is our chance to reclaim our feminine side, the side usually hidden by baby spit-up, cleaning supplies, and the day-to-day “where did that stain come from” uniform of Mommyhood. In that vein, one of the most daunting things about a girls’ night out is the actual process of getting ready for a girls’ night out—especially when it comes to styling/fixing/curling or even just attempting to get your hair to look good. Before kids, you could lounge around all day, getting your in-home spa on, meticulously painting your toenails, trying out various eyeshadow shades and looking up celeb going-out looks to copy (and redo, and redo, and redo) yourself. Once you have a family, though, just simply throwing your hair in a ponytail and applying a little lipgloss before jetting out the door is already an out-ofthe-ordinary fashion decision.

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friends because the memories are that much sweeter. While my husband loves me dearly, him getting his hair done in a fun salon is just not something he would really enjoy... or even agree to participate in. As for the ladies, no one really appreciates a good curl or a fun flip of the hair like your best friends. Plus, the instant gratification of their excited oohs and aahs helps dispel any confidence quandaries you may have about a new hairstyle!

I also love playing celebrity. Since the idea of moving to LA and becoming a famous actress is nowhere in my cards—partially because I have a major fear of speaking in front of people, and also because I have no desire to move—I like to play pretend. So, just like the rich and famous, I like to turn even the most “normal” task, like a haircut or style, into a most memorable experience.

This girls night idea is even more special because it allows us to let our insecurities go

and feel beautiful. We were able to encourage and lift each other up and get the same encouragement back. Women often get a bad name for being catty and competitive, which is what makes experiences -- where we lift each other up and compliment each other instead of just show jealousies -- that much more meaningful.

Everyone at Dead Swanky Blow Dry Bar was so amazing to be around. They are such a positive group of women, who have a true gift for what they do. Needless to say, I am beyond excited to go back the next time my hair needs a little boost.

A GNO at the Blow Dry Bar was so much more than just a fun style—it was an evening to laugh, to play, to be feminine and to be silly, all at the same time. It was a chance to play “model” and take silly selfies. It was an opportunity to let go of the stress of the week and share and catch up with the women who understood us most.

This Girls Night Out idea is definitely a must-do for anyone who hasn’t... and a must-do again for those who have!

If you have a business that offers unique Girls Night Outs and would like us to visit, email editor@peekaboonwa.com

At a Glance ARTS and MUSIC

At a Glance

Abrakadoodle (Pg. 25) (479) 856-6651 abrakadoodle.com Crystal Bridges (Pg. 26) (479) 418-5700 crystalbridges.org Imagine Studios (Pg. 77) (479) 619-6085 imagine-studios.com

CHILDCARE/NANNY SERVICES ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 71) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Better Beginnings (Pg. 75) (800) 445-3316 arbetterbeginnings.com The Kid’s Studio (Pg. 23) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg. 63) (479) 273-1011 Seeking Sitters (Pg. 52) (501) 203-3097 www.seekingsitters.com

CHURCH

Unitarian Universalist (Pg. 21) www.uubcar.com

CLOTHING / FURNITURE

Bassett (Pg. 49) (479) 571-0200 bassettfurniture.com

DANCE/CHEER/TUMBLE/STRETCH

5678 Dance Studio (Pg. 33) (479) 381-0107 5678dancestudioarkansas.com iNFiNiTi (Pg. 43) (479) 715-6840 www.infinitiathletics.com The Little Gym (Pg. 18) (479) 636-5566 tlgrogersar.com

DENTIST / ORTHODONTIST

Arkansas Braces (Pg. 35) www.ARbraces.com Smile Shoppe Pediatric Dentistry (Pg. 9) (479) 631-6377

DERMATOLOGY

Hull Dermatology and Aesthetics (Pg. 25) (479) 254-9662 hullderm.com NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Shiloh Christian School (Pg. 61) (479) 756-1140 The New School (Pg. 19, 62) (479) 251-8804 thenewschool.org

FAMILY FUN / ENTERTAINMENT

All About Mickey Vacation Planning (Pg. 57) (479) 461-6519 Girl Scout Dimonds (Pg. 51) (800) 632-6894 girlscoutdiamonds.org Fast Lane Entertainment (Pg. 74) (479) 659-0999 www.fastlanebowl.com Mad Science (Pg. 53) (479) 444-0303 www.madscience.org/nwa The Party Place (Pg. 4) (479) 230-9494 thepartyplacear.com Ozark Corn Maze (Pg. 63) (479) 366-5686 www.ozarkcornmaze.com McGarrah Farms (Pg. 69) (479) 451-8164 www.mcgarrahfarms.com Starlight Skatium (Pg. 31) (479) 444-STAR The Walmart Museum (Pg. 73) (479) 273-1329 walmartstores.com

FOOD / DRINK

Sam’s Club (Pg. 30) www.samsclub.com TCBY (Pg. 3) (479) 636-8229 (TCBY)

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

A. R. Chiropractic (Pg. 45) (479) 236-3606 ARchiropractic.com Ginn Foot and Ankle (Pg. 59) (479) 254-1975 www.nwafoot.com Skinny Fiber (Pg. 73) 4isall.com Tate HealthCare (Pg. 21, 23) (479) 271-6511 www.tatehealthcare.com

HOME and YARD

Carpet Smart (Pg. 38) (479) 750-0117 / (866) 795-8520

JEWELRY AND GIFTS

David Adams (Pg. 71) davidadams.com

LEARNING CENTER

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ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 71) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Bricks 4 Kidz (Pg. 65) (479) 268-4345 www.bricks4kidz.com Gideon Math and Reading Center (Pg. 35) (479) 521-8500 gideonmathandreadingcenter.com

LearningRx (Pg. 47) (479) 715-6870 www.learningrx.com/bentonville The New School (Pg. 19, 62) (479) 251-8804 thenewschool.org

MARTIAL ARTS

ATA (Pg. 48) Bentonville: (479) 273-1212 / Fay: (479) 443-5425

The Kid’s Studio (Pg. 23) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg. 63) (479) 273-1011

SALON - HAIR AND NAILS

The Blow Dry Bar (Pg. 72) (479) 587-1050 Pigtails&Crewcuts (Pg. 17) (479) 935-4121 pigtailsandcrewcuts.com

OPTOMETRIST

Pediatric Vision Development Center (Pg. 54) nwavisiontherapy.com (479) 795-1411

PEDIATRICIAN

PETS

TALENT

N.C.K. Talent Academy (Pg. 39) (479) 445-6000 thenck.com

Best Start Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 15) (479) 575-9359 Bentonville Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 11) (479) 273-5437 The Children’s Clinic at Springdale (Pg. 27) (479) 751-2522 Harvey Pediatrics (Pg. 29) (479) 254-1100 harveypediatrics.com MANA NWA Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 42) Wellness: (479) 443-3471 Urgent: (479) 442-7322

THERAPY

Phenom-A-Dog (Pg. 51) (479) 202-5303 phenomadog.com

WOMEN’S HEALTH

PHOTOGRAPHY

Created For You Photography (Pg. 67) (479) 685-3069 www.createdforyouphotography.com

PLASTIC SURGEON

NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 www.nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

PRESCHOOL/ PRE-K

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 71) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com First Friends Preschool (Pg. 13) (479) 636-3338

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 71) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Dr. Thomas Terry Lawson (Pg. 37) (479) 444-1400 www.terrylawson.com Katherine Rogers Counseling (Pg. 45) (479) 802-5758 Springwoods Behavioral Health (Pg. 8) (479) 973-6000 www.springwoodsbehavioral.com Tate HealthCare (Pg. 21, 23) (479) 271-6511 Birth Center of Northwest Arkansas (Pg. 55) (479) 372-4560 bcnwa.com

Life Spring Women’s Health (Pg. 31) (479) 271-0005 lifespringhealthcare.com Northwest Women’s Health Center (Pg. 7) (479) 503-2525 Northwest Willow Creek Women’s Hospital (Pg. 5) (479) 684-3000 Parkhill Clinic for Women (Pg. 17) (479) 521-4433 Siloam Springs Women’s Center (Pg. 60) (479) 524-9312 siloamwomenscenter.com Springwoods Behavioral Health (Pg. 8) (479) 973-6000 www.springwoodsbehavioral.com