Wellsphere Blogging Network

Hello,

I recently joined a blogging network called WELLSPHERE: http://www.wellsphere.com/ It is a health blogging network, which connects people interested in healthier living.

WELLSPHERE is a network of people who blog about various health topics (i.e. relationships, mind and body, stress management, weight loss, children's health, mental health, sports, disabilities and more!). Bloggers include a diverse group of people from parents of children with disabilities to medical professionals from Stanford, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Yale and other top Medical Schools.

Basically, the website re-posts what the bloggers have written in their own blogs and provides a central network for people to search for health information. Search key words, such as "occupational therapy," "traumatic brain injury", "autism", "depression", "dyslexia", "asthma" and "swine flu" and you will come up with a wealth of information! You can now search directly from this blog by going to the WELLSPERE widget "Health Knowledge Finder" located in the right hand column of this blog.

There are a few OT's on the site and I hope more will join, as the network is free and provides a good forum for people in the public to reach the information posted in these blogs.

I have also found some wonderful blogs by parents and people experiencing various obstacles in their lives, such as surviving cancer, living with a vision or hearing loss and parenting a child with Cerebral Palsy. Most of these bloggers find it very therapeutic to blog about their experiences.

I think there are plenty of Egyptians who have something to share with others about their experiences in relation to the health topics covered on WELLSPHERE! In the future, I would love to be able to post some links to Egyptian blogs!

To get you started, here are a couple of free blog start up links:

BLOGGER (free publishing tool from Google): www.blogger.com
WORD PRESS: www.wordpress.org

So, take a look and enjoy...

Laura

The Exceptional Training Center announces the Summer Training Courses in Arabic

The Exceptional Training Center announces the Summer Training Courses in Arabic, June-July 2009, conducted by eminent lecturers with post graduate studies and sound experience in the field of Special Educational Needs (SEN).

Participants will receive certificate accredited by the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the Egyptian Society for the Developing Skills of Children with Special Needs, and the Exceptional Training Center for passing the course and the certificate can be documented from any Foreign Affairs Office.

The 5 Courses are:

I- Occupational Therapy Course, June 27th to July 5th, 2009

II- Specialized Language & Communication Development, 4th to 9th July, 2009

III- Specific Learning Difficulties Course, 4th to 9th July, 2009

IV- Autism Spectrum Disorders course, 12th to 16th July, 2009

V- Behavior Modification Course, 13th to 16th July, 2009

The courses will be held at the Lectures' Halls of the Exceptional Training Center (ETC)

Address: 9th Al-Mokhtar St., Off Al-Gezeir St., New Maadi, Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, please contact the following numbers:
+202-27538022/+202-27538062 or mobile +2-0168809234

E-mail: etc.advance@gmail.com

Ain Sham's University OT Program

Ain Sham's University in Cairo received the presidential signature for their OT curriculum and will hopefully start the program in October 2009. However, the university is still looking to hire an OT program director and further OT teaching staff.

For further details about the positions available and the program curriculum, please contact:

Ahmed El Khaky: aelkahky@hotmail.com

Thanks

“Vargus International Hand Therapist Teaching Award”

Mary Nordlie, OTR/L CHT (Certified Hand Therapist) was kind enough to share with us some pictures and a brief summary of her experiences when she visited Egypt in November, 2008:

Mary speaking at the Egyptian Orthopaedic Association

"In January 2008, I was awarded the “Vargus International Hand Therapist Teaching Award” from the American Association For Hand Surgery (AAHS). The purpose of the award is to share experiences and exchange expertise in the area of Hand therapy with therapists and physicians around the world. This year the trip was to Egypt in November 2008 with Dr. Nash Naam from Southern Illinois University. Our goal was to share how the surgeon and hand therapist work as a cohesive team to provide the most effective treatment to patients with hand injuries and to encourage OTs and PTs in Egypt to specialize in this area.

We spoke to very receptive groups at numerous events including the 60th Egyptian Orthopedic Association in Cairo, The Egyptian Association for Hand Surgery in Alexandria, a hospital’s surgical and therapy staff and the Cairo University’s Department of Physical Therapy. The University expressed interest learning more about Occupational Therapy as an area of study. In addition to lecturing, I was invited to see patients at the only clinic where there is a therapist (PT) working with a Hand Surgeon. That evening we shared experiences and I was able to provide treatment ideas for his patients from a different perspective. My 35+ years experience as an OT with 27 years as a Hand Therapist made it easy to find things to do! I have been in contact with several therapists in Egypt since I have left and am very pleased to see that there is a seed planted there for more growth in the field of “Hand Therapy.” Over all, I had a fabulous experience in Egypt and was pleased with the acceptance I had by the physicians, University faculty and therapists everywhere I went.

Mary with university staff.

I have been invited back to present at the Egyptian Association for Hand Surgery (EAHS) April 2010 and hope to present to a room filled with interested Occupational and Physical Therapists. Meanwhile, I would enjoy hearing from any therapists interested or whom may have questions related to the upper extremity and treatment."

Speaking with PT students at the university.

Consultation with PT and patient in clinic.

Consultation with PT and patient.

Mary Nordlie, MS, OTR/L CHT (Certified Hand Therapist)

Minneapolis, Minnesota, MN

MRNORDLIE@AOL.COM

More online resources...

Super Duper Handy Handouts:

FREE online, informational newsletters for teachers and parents.

http://www.superduperinc.com/Handouts/Handout.aspx

Register with name and email address and then you can download over 200 FREE excellent handouts. Topics cover OT and SLT related topics (i.e. how visual perceptual difficulties affect handwriting, all about drooling, what is sensory defensiveness, impact of self esteem and vocabulary development).  OT related handouts written by OT's...

Please share any of your resources for online downloads, as well!

Thanks

Welcome to new staff at the LRC

WELCOME...

In picture: Moffat (OTR), Farah (OT), Hegazy (OT Implementer) and Laura (OT/L)

Moffat Makomo, OTR has recently joined the OT department at the Learning Resource Center. He joins us from Zimbabwe. We all would like to welcome him to Cairo and wish him well in his time spent in Egypt.

Online Digital Magazine

As I am always looking for free materials and new resources, I thought I would share this link and ask any others to share other similiar links in the 'comment' section.

www.yourtherapysource.com/magazine.html

It is an online resource for school based therapy and special needs publications for professional, home and school use. They have started a monthly online booklet with some brief articles, free downloads and new product information. Of course, much of the items you have to purchase, but they do have some free resources and a good variety of online download resources.

Check out the electronic books...since shipping/customs is always an issue here, these types of resources are always welcome!

Please share any other links, which have free resources...

Thanks,
Laura

Staff OT Vacancy at the LRC

The Learning Resource Center (www.lrcegypt.org: under construction) in Maadi, Egypt has an OT staff position available. Managemnet is interested in hiring a full time female OT who speaks English/Arabic. At least two years experience in pediatrics is required.

Please contact Maha Helali, Managing Director, if interested in learning more about the post: mhelali@lrcegypt.org

Conference Update

I am happy to say that the educational conference "Road Map to Positive Behavior" was an overall success. All four OT's who presented (Angela, Fatima, Majdi and Farah) reported that the participants in their lectures were enthustiastic about the topics and they said that they learned a lot of new information. OT's, PT's, teachers, psychiatrists, psychologists and parents attended the variety of lectures (i.e. seating recommendations for physically challenged children, sensory integration and behavior in the classroom, and how to manage handwriting difficulties).

I hope that OT's continue to present at educational conferences in Cairo, such as the March conference that the ADVANCE and LRC present each year.

Many thanks to all that presented,
Laura

OTARG Congress 2009

The 6th Occupational Therapy Africa Regional Group Congress

September 28 to October 2, 2009

Mangochi, Malawi

"BUILDING BRIDGES WITHIN AND AROUND AFRICA"

Click here for more details:

www.otarg.org.za/malawi_congress.html