Mag, 

Thanks for the comment, I truly enjoy helping the Prentke Romich Company
deliver and support communication device technology and other assistive
technology to those who need it in order to live productive lives.  The
current war in Iraq isn't really keeping us away from doing PRC's mission,
but however I think that the billions that we're spending on Iraq could go
to better causes like purchasing wheelchairs, communication devices and
whatever else somebody needs to live a happy and healthy life.  

In fact, I had a meeting with Senator Tom Harkin from Iowa shortly after we
heard about possible cuts in food stamps, and he wasn't impressed with that
news.  Needless to say that food stamps wasn't actually the reason why we
met, it happened to come up in conversation.  The true agenda was to ensure
that there's money for speech evaluations, there's currently only money for
2 hour evaluations, and for communication device evaluations you need 5
hours to get a good assessment, and many speech-language pathologists are
turned off.  I think we insured that money, but they might call me in to
meet with Clinton (something I'm looking forward to possibly doing).
Needless to say the Prentke Romich Company doesn't want me to meet with
Bush, having access to a communication device with a unlimited vocabulary,
that would be dangerous :) 

Thanks, 
Anthony 
Visit my website at www.anthonyarnold.net

-----Original Message-----
From: Cerebral Palsy List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Magenta Raine
Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2006 7:34 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Baclofen helping AAC use was FW: label/hand surgery/pump

Anthony, I think it's really terrific that you work for the prentich ronake
company. I missed your message somehow about how the war in iraq is
affecting speech technology. I want to know about this, could you please
resend your message either privately or on list?

Thanks,
Mag 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[log in to unmask]
Come visit my new store! http://www.cafepress.com/TamarMag
visit my Blog at; http://tamarmag-newsletters.blogspot.com/


> [Original Message]
> From: Anthony Arnold <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: 3/18/2006 12:24:03 PM
> Subject: Re: Baclofen helping AAC use was FW: label/hand surgery/pump
>
> Beth, 
>
> Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post.  I remember once we were
> in attendance at the Pittsburgh Employment Conference for augmentative and
> alternative communicators, where we met up with a gal from Orange County
> California, and due to her severe spasticity, she was only able to
activate
> her communication device by use of a switch for single switch scanning
that
> was mounted by her knee, I remember how tiresome it was for her but she
sure
> enjoyed her system.  My father was also in attendance, and he suggested to
> this gal and her attendant that they should probably look into the
Baclofen
> pump to get more out of not only her communication device but other
> technology that she also had.  We stayed in contact with this gal and her
> mother for a while, but I feel it got too overwhelming, and when the
device
> finally died they simply gave up which is too bad.  Cases like this also
> hurt images of AAC companies, but we can only do so much to insure success
> storys, and other people and elements have to come into play.  
>
> Thanks, 
> Anthony 
> Visit my website at www.anthonyarnold.net
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cerebral Palsy List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Elizabeth Thiers
> Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2006 7:42 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Baclofen helping AAC use was FW: label/hand surgery/pump
>
>  
> Improving muscle use definitely helps with communication device use. 
Also,
> good seating, and appropriate placement of the device that utilizes the
> persons natural movements.
>
> Beth t the OT
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cerebral Palsy List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Anthony Arnold
> Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 4:29 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: label/hand surgery/pump
>
> I may be way off base here, but over the years I have met some clientele
who
> have been so physically involved that either accessing a communication
> device or just simply typing and operating a computer is a challenge and
> very tiresome, would Baclofen help in this regard?  If no one knows, I can
> always ask one of our speech-language pathologists at work to see if they
> have any research on this.  One thing I have learned from the engineers I
> have access to, sure we can develop great technology, but other things
like
> PT & OT are needed to get better results instead of just having a good
> device available.  
>
> Thanks,
> Anthony
> Visit my website at www.anthonyarnold.net
>
> -