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To submit comments,
or to suggest items for this newsletter or First5LA.org, contact Katie Kurutz, public affairs officer, at kkurutz@first5la.org
or (213) 482-5902.
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Severly Damaged Preschool Needs Your Assistance
A Pomona preschool serving some 50 infants and toddlers was severely damaged in the recent earthquake and urgently needs financial assistance and to borrow items. See how you can help. More
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High School Dropout Rates and Early Education
Last school year, one in every four California high school students dropped out. Now legislators are struggling for ways to address the dropout epidemic. Learn how one economist points to the first 5 years of life as the place to start. More
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Immunization Month: Don't Wait to Vaccinate
Even though routine childhood vaccines are designed to keep dangerous diseases away, research shows that only one in four children are not up-to-date with their vaccinations. First 5 LA gives tips on changing this trend. More
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The Help Group's Legislative Summit
State Sen. Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch) and Dr. Barbara Firestone, president and CEO of The Help Group, recently held a legislative forum on the California Autism Legislative Package. See photos. More
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Monday Morning Report Survey |
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Tell Us How We are Doing
To make the Monday Morning Report as relevant and user friendly as possible, we are seeking your feedback. Please click here and spend a few minutes filling out our survey, and enter our raffle to pitch your story to Monday Morning Report writer/editor Katie Kurutz over a FREE LUNCH! More
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Policy Pick |
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L.A. to Ban Fast-Food Eateries in South Los Angeles
In 2006, food and beverage companies spent $1.6 billion in marketing their products to children. Learn more about L.A.'s attempt to curb the influence of local fast food eateries on its residents. More
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Evie's Desk |
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Evie's Desk: The ZAC Browser for Children with Autism
This year the Centers for Disease Control reported that one in every 150 American children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) yearly. ASD can impair social interaction and communication and cause repetitive behavior for children starting as young as 3 years old. While many scientists, social service groups and politicians are working to thwart the devastating affects of ASD (read this weeks article on The Help Group's Legislative Event), some families are working to equip their ASD children with as many tools as possible.
The story of the ZAC Internet browser is an excellent example of how one family, in an effort to accommodate the needs of their child with autism, adapted their home. John LeSieur, president and CEO of People CD, an Internet company, created the ZAC Browser for his severely autistic grandson Zackary. As "surfing the net" has become a common activity in many American households, LeSieur was saddened to see how his grandson became overwhelmed when trying to use the Web. So using his expertise as CEO of People CD, he created an Internet browser to cater to his grandson's needs, using lots of bold graphics, music and easy to navigate buttons.
LeSieur is quoted on the ZAC Web site as saying, "We have the deepest love for our daughter and grandson and it is out of this heartfelt emotion that we used our talent to tailor a Web browser specifically for Zackary and children facing similar development disorders of the brain." While the name ZAC, is short for Zackary, it is also an acronym - Zone for Autistic Children. After discovering what a calming effect ZAC had on his grandson, LeSieur made the browser available for free for any child or teenager interested in using it. I'd like to applaud this innovative grandpa for his therapeutic tool and for his commitment to make it available for any child with ASD. To access the ZAC browser click here.
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