PA Cyber Sponsors Conference on Helping Children With Autism Form F...( PITTSBURGH Jan. 16 -- It's often...),Health

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- It's often hard for children on the autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to make friends, but they need friendship and play time as much as any child. Parents, teachers and therapists can learn how to help ASD children foster friendships at a Pittsburgh-area conference on Feb. 8.

Sponsored by the Hope Learning Center LLC, the conference will feature author-founder-parent Heather McCracken of the Vancouver-based Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society (http://www.friend2friendsociety.org).

"PA Cyber Charter School is proud to be a supporter of the Hope Learning Center and this autism conference, the first in a series which will focus on some of the great strides being made in research, education and therapy," said Dr. Nick Trombetta, CEO of the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (http://www.pacyber.org).

Dr. Trombetta sits on the national advisory board of Autism Speaks, a leading advocacy organization, and was appointed by Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell to the State Special Education Advisory Panel. As head of the state's largest K-12 public school, Dr. Trombetta supports improvements in diagnosis, therapy and education for children with autism disorder.

"Fostering Social Relationships and Play in Children on the Autism Spectrum" is planned for 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8, at the Regional Learning Alliance facility in Cranberry Township, Pa., north of Pittsburgh on I-79.

The conference is presented by the Hope Learning Center LLC. Participants may register at http://www.thehopelearningcenter.com, call 724.624.4293 ext. 1528, or email autism@pacyber.org. The $75 fee includes breakfast, handouts and childcare/social skills groups by behavioral therapis
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