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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

The Power of Fresh Air When Dealing with Disabilities

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Thursday, January 8, 2015   

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The get outside message for children is being extended to children with disabilities.

A professional outdoor educator is asking Arkansas families to think about the power of nature, even as they're busy dealing with the schedules of a child with a disability.

Kathy Ambrosini says there are social gains to be made when children spend time outside of a building, especially for children with autism spectrum disorders.

"Forming relationships with humans – very, very important,” she stresses. “And sometimes the early stepping stones to those are the natural inclination of a child toward other forms of life."

Ambrosini adds that if outdoor time is a new addition to the schedule, the child should bring along a favorite item and it's best not to have an agenda.

She advises letting the child lead the way. And for older children connected to tech devices, she says it's OK to bring them along and use them to take photos, use the device camera as binoculars, or look up information about a bug.

Don't let the cold weather in Arkansas stop the adventures. Ambrosini says there is value in every season, and the biggest benefits are often for secondary issues, such as anxiety and depression.

"Stepping outside for maybe even three minutes,” she points out “It's short, it's sweet, but the air smells different. The breeze feels different. It's another kind of relief."

As a bonus, Ambrosini finds that parents and caregivers experience stress relief, too.





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