MORE FROM THE STACKS
EDITOR’S NOTE: There are literally thousands of journals published around the world that relate to the disability community. It is virtually impossible to capture even a fraction of them. HELEN receives "stacks" of journals and selectively earmarks what we feel are "must read" articles of interest for our readers. It's a HELEN perk!
AADMD’s Newest Honorary Member: Hon. Neil Romano
By Allen Wong, DDS, EdD, DABSCD, AADMD Past President
On June 8, 2025, at the Annual meeting of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) in Phoenix, Arizona, we were proud to announce our newest Honorary member, the Honorable Neil Romano. Membership in AADMD is reserved for medical or dental clinicians. In the almost 25 years of AADMD existence as the only clinician led organization to focus on comprehensive health for those with intellectual /developmental disabilities (IDD), we have only acknowledged two other honorary members: David Ervin and Rick Giudotti, both amazing individuals. Honorary membership is bestowed to non-clinicians (and those not seeking medical/ dental future professions) who have supported the mission and activities of AADMD—which is to improve education, access to care and advocacy. Lastly, the nominee must receive unanimous approval of the AADMD Board.
Neil Romano has not only been part of the AADMD efforts but a constant resource, supporter and active participant in our conferences and advocacy efforts. Mr. Romano is a humble servant of humanity, not only to the IDD community, but all populations of disparities. He was instrumental with efforts to improve dental education competency requirements for dental graduates and continues to do help with encouraging medical education as well. Neil is always willing to lend his time and talent to improve those underserved.
Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Romano has demonstrated unwavering commitment to advancing disability rights, public awareness, and inclusive policy. His visionary leadership and tireless efforts have left a lasting impact on communities nationwide. To reiterate, Neil Romano embodies what AADMD stands for in education, access to care and advocacy.
If you were to look up the accomplishments of Neil Romano, you would find a great deal of accomplishments including some of the following (source ChatGPT):
1. Director of Communications, White House Office of Drug Abuse Policy
Romano served as the Director of Communications for the White House Office of Drug Abuse Policy during the Reagan Administration. In this role, he contributed to significant public awareness campaigns, including “Just Say No” and “America Responds to AIDS,” which aimed to address substance abuse and raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. ncd.gov+3voiceamerica.com+3ncd.gov+3voiceamerica.com+3theorg.com+3ncd.gov+3
2. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy
In 2007, President George W. Bush nominated Romano to be the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy. He was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. As head of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), Romano advised the Secretary of Labor and worked with all DOL agencies to lead a comprehensive and coordinated national policy regarding the employment of people with disabilities in the United States. voiceamerica.com+6theorg.com+6voiceamerica.com+6voiceamerica.com+3ncd.gov+3ncd.gov+3
3. Chairman of the National Council on Disability (NCD)
In 2018, Romano was appointed Chairman of the National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent federal agency that advises the President, Congress, and other federal agencies on disability policy. Under his leadership, NCD released a series of groundbreaking reports advocating for the end of the AbilityOne program and the use of Section 14C of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which allows employers to pay people with disabilities less than the minimum wage. instagram.com+5ncd.gov+5ncd.gov+5voiceamerica.com+1disabilityrightsflorida.org+1
4. Member of the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Romano served as a member of the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, contributing to policy discussions and initiatives aimed at improving the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities. disabilityrightsflorida.org+3disabilityrightsflorida.org+3transportation.gov+3
5. Member of the United States Access Board
He was also a member of the United States Access Board, an independent federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards.
6. Member of the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled
Romano served on the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, which administers the AbilityOne Program, providing employment opportunities for individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities. His work on this committee was recognized in 2010 with a special leadership award. ncd.gov+4voiceamerica.com+4transportation.gov+4ncd.gov+1ncd.gov+1
7. Producer/Director of the Emmy-Nominated Film “Youth Homicide: A Public Health Crisis”
Romano produced and directed the film “Youth Homicide: A Public Health Crisis,” which was nominated for a Best Director Emmy. The film addressed the issue of youth violence and its impact on public health. transportation.gov+2ncd.gov+2ncd.gov+2
8. Founder of The Romano Group LLC
As president of The Romano Group LLC, Romano developed some of the most visible and effective public health programs in United States history, focusing on issues such as substance abuse and HIV/AIDS awareness.
9. Advocate for Competitive Integrated Employment
Romano has been a strong advocate for competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities. He has emphasized the importance of providing individuals with disabilities opportunities to work in integrated settings at competitive wages, rather than in segregated environments. disabilityrightsflorida.org+1transportation.gov+1
10. Board Member of Various Organizations
Romano serves on the boards of several organizations, including the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society, the Prison Jail Ministries Foundation, The Taylor Hooton Foundation, The National Foundation to End Senior Hunger, The National Industries for the Blind, and The United States International Council on Disabilities.
AADMD has and continues to benefit greatly from the unselfish service and wisdom that Mr. Romano brings. Neil Romano’s lifetime achievements are remarkable, and we are inspired by his dedication to humanity. We are blessed to call him our friend and welcome him as one of us (AADMD) and an exemplar of human exceptionality.
Physical Activity: Benefits for Aging Health
Recent research is transforming the way healthcare professionals view physical activity, particularly in the context of aging and chronic disease prevention. While traditional guidelines have long emphasized moderate to vigorous exercise as the benchmark for health benefits, new evidence shows that even light physical activity—such as casual walking, light housework, or stretching—can lead to meaningful improvements in health outcomes. This shift holds particular importance in geriatrics, primary care, and nutrition, where supporting sustainable, individualized physical activity is crucial to managing comorbidities and preserving quality of life.
One influential study published in JAMA Network Open tracked older women and found that those who engaged in higher levels of light physical activity had a 42 percent lower risk of coronary events and a 22 percent lower incidence of cardiovascular disease compared to those who were less active. These findings underscore the health potential of even modest daily movements and reinforce the idea that beneficial exercise doesn’t need to be strenuous or structured.
This perspective is further supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which advocates that any movement is better than none. According to the CDC, light activities can help prevent or delay many health issues associated with aging, strengthen muscles, and improve the ability to carry out daily tasks independently. These benefits apply even when individuals fall short of the standard 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, making physical activity more accessible across varying health statuses.
This growing body of evidence empowers clinicians to shift from rigid prescriptions toward flexible, patient-centered recommendations. Encouraging light, manageable movement aligns more closely with the diverse needs and capabilities of older adults and opens the door to broader participation in physical activity, regardless of baseline fitness or physical limitations.
By reframing physical activity as a continuum rather than a fixed standard, healthcare providers can promote a more inclusive model of wellness. For aging populations in particular, the message is simple but impactful: every movement counts. Integrating even modest activity into daily routines offers a practical and effective strategy for reducing chronic disease risk, maintaining independence, and improving overall health as people age. (JAMA Network Open - 05/20/2025)
STAT’s Wunderkind
Alexander Chern - Johns Hopkins University
By Timmy Broderick (STAT)
Alexander Chern’s favorite composer is Beethoven — which, he admits, is a bit on the nose. Just as the composer did, the otolaryngologist has hearing loss and cares deeply about music — though he is far less ill-tempered.
The son of Taiwanese immigrants, Chern got a glimpse of his future at an early age when doctors identified a hearing loss. His mother thought that playing music could help his hearing and signed him up for violin lessons, igniting what has become a lifelong passion (and good training for a surgeon’s dexterous fingers).
Chern’s interest in studying music perception is more recent. While attending medical school at Vanderbilt University, he was walking home from the gym when a car plowed into him at 50mph, putting him into a two-week coma. The ensuing months of recovery afforded Chern ample time to think about his life and research. He spent countless hours rediscovering the classical music he had played and listened to as a kid. The experience reoriented him and, soon thereafter, Chern started working in Vanderbilt’s Music Cognition Lab, studying how musical rhythms can improve language in kids.
After Vanderbilt, Chern moved to New York City for the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s Otolaryngology Residency Program, during which time he won several awards for his teaching and publications. Now a Neurotology & Skull Base Surgery Fellow at Johns Hopkins University, Chern remains laser-focused on understanding how music affects a person’s health and behavior, especially for people with hearing loss. He wants to see if his mother’s hypothesis is true for more than just him.
The Role of Virtual Reality in Autism Therapy: Recent Advancements
(Autism Spectrum News 04/04/2025)
Over the years, technology has improved to create a more immersive environment for users. One more popular trend in technology is the use of virtual reality (VR). Although typically used for gaming purposes, professionals have also found ways to utilize VR for therapeutic purposes. Initially, VR had been used in addition to counseling for exposure therapy for both phobias and trauma (McLean et al., 2022). Now, VR has expanded to other modalities, such as flight training and practice for surgeries. Psychologists have also explored other ways VR can be used for therapy, especially for autistic individuals. This article will briefly cover some of the recent findings on how VR has benefited autistic individuals.
VRChat, a social-based program, allows users to use a custom avatar and participate in leisure activities, such as fishing.
Although VR has been already in use for many decades, recent studies have begun to focus on how we can improve this technology for neurodivergent patients. Current treatment options available may be inaccessible due to funding, limited professionals in the area, and adherence to treatment depending on the level of need (Mittal et al., 2024). In addition, telehealth sessions experience difficulties with maintaining attention during sessions while remaining on a video call. For children with autism, following routines and regularly practicing social and emotional skills are important for learning and keeping the skills they need to interact with kids their age. Current studies have found that therapies that incorporate VR increase motivation and adherence (Mittal et al., 2024). Moreover, VR is adaptive to the individual characteristics that each individual brings into therapy, which is specifically useful for those who are neurodiverse. With that in mind, the options for VR can be adjusted to their needs, providing both immersive and sensory-sensitive activities into their routine (Mittal et al., 2024).
Historically, studies with VR and autistic individuals have focused more on developing social and communication skills (citation, citation). How can virtual reality also help with emotional well-being? More recently, studies have explored ways to teach autistic individuals how to recognize emotions in social contexts. Games and programs have been developed where a person interacts with a virtual human through roleplaying and social interactions (Tsai et al., 2021). While the game shows the player cards with emotions on them, these emotions are then reflected on a 3D model that allows the user to see the emotions in action. Through VR, participants can practice and maintain emotion recognition and regulation, which is important for socializing in day-to-day life (Tsai et al., 2021). Simulated environments for social interactions have been studied as an efficient way to practice
While this article has focused primarily on the emotional well-being of autistic individuals, VR has also been studied on one occasion to see if it could also benefit the emotional well-being of parents of autistic children. For many caregivers, finding time for therapeutic intervention to help with stress can be difficult (Lovell & Wetherell, 2024). Researchers have explored ways in which they can bring interventions to the home that are more readily accessible. Caregivers participated in a study where they were given VR headsets that showed relaxing scenery for up to 15 minutes, such as a forest or a beach (Lovell & Wetherell, 2024). After a weeklong trial of usage, caregivers reported less anger and stress while also reporting higher energy (Lovell & Wetherell, 2024). Although this is a trial study, it is one demonstration of how VR can help caregivers of autistic children cope emotionally.
As an autistic individual myself, I have always wondered how VR can help me with my own emotional well-being. There are numerous social-based games and apps that use VR to allow for socializing in a virtual space. For example, VRChat allows users to meet in virtual rooms and worlds to interact, play games, and socialize across a variety of scenarios. Over the course of four years, I have used this game for weekly social events with online friends. We participate in activities such as fishing, improv, and adventures to fantasy worlds others have created. There are also virtual concerts held on occasion that can be adjusted to the person’s sensory needs, such as volume or how many lights or people are in the room. VR allows these virtual visits to feel real and more immersive than talking on the phone or watching a video. In addition, some extra technology for VR brings in more nonverbal communication, such as full body tracking and face tracking. In my experience, full-body tracking has helped me to express myself more while also helping me to understand how someone else may be feeling in a situation.
Overall, VR has much to offer autistic individuals. Social apps and other programs are an initial start that has helped to improve both confidence and well-being for this population. In addition, researchers have begun proposing other programs that help train autistic individuals for real-life situations. One example is an environmental simulation of working in an office space and how you may interact with co-workers (Abdulbaki Alshirbaji et al., 2024). As VR continues to improve, more technology can be developed that helps with other symptoms of ASD. This may include sensory integration, physical wellness or exercise, and group-based therapies for multiple users at once. Telehealth may also utilize VR to create a more immersive therapy setting for this population and many others. The possibilities are endless and can open doors to opportunities for many individuals.
For those who are curious about VR programs for autistic individuals, below are a few websites with resources of established programs that make use of this technology. I have also provided some VR games that have been developed or are used by autistic individuals. It is important to note, however, that VR is not appropriate for everyone. Those who have sensory aversion to headgear or objects over their eyes, in addition to those more sensitive to motion sickness, may not benefit from VR. Parents and caregivers should also monitor the VR programs their child is using at home, as some allow socializing with real people in a virtual space.
Floreo – https://floreovr.com – FDA-approved VR program for neurodivergents. They offer training for professionals who wish to incorporate this technology in their office.
RobotLab VRKit – Provides VR headsets for classroom settings that can create more immersive learning experiences for social and communication skills. Provides training and technology required to apply VR in school settings.
XR Health – https://www.xr.health/ – Offers telehealth services and therapy through a VR headset, which is delivered to the home. They offer a variety of services based on the individual’s needs.
BLINNK and the Vacuum of Space – A VR game developed for autistic players, a good way to introduce virtual reality for younger VR users.
Tilt Brush – A VR game that allows the user to paint and sculpt in a virtual space.
Beat Saber – VR Rhythm game that allows the player to hit blocks with sabers to the beat of music they enjoy. Difficulties can be adjusted to the player’s comfort level. Provides a lot of physical activity for the player, ideal for all ages.
VRChat – https://hello.vrchat.com/ – A virtual social app that allows the user to use a custom avatar and interact with people around the world in a digital space. Play games, explore worlds, and meet new friends. This game can also be played with a keyboard and mouse. This program is more appropriate for adolescents and adults.
Jenna Winkelman, MA, is Doctorate Student in Clinical Psychology at Fielding Graduate University. For more information, this author may be contacted via e-mail at jwinkelman@fielding.edu.
References
Abdulbaki Alshirbaji, T., Arabian, H., Igel, M., Wagner-Hartl, V., & Moeller, K. (2024). Emotion-driven training: Innovating virtual reality environment for autism spectrum disorder patients. Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering, 10(4), 5-8. https://doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2024-2002
Lovell, B., & Wetherell, M. A. (2024). Do virtual reality relaxation experiences alleviate stress in parents of children with autism? A pilot study. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 33(7), 2134-2141. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-024-02876-1
McLean, C. P., Levy, H. C., Miller, M. L., & Tolin, D. F. (2022). Exposure therapy for PTSD: A meta-analysis. Clinical psychology review, 91, 102115.
Mittal, P., Bhadania, M., Tondak, N., Ajmera, P., Yadav, S., Kukreti, A., Kalra, S., & Ajmera, P. (2024). Effect of immersive virtual reality-based training on cognitive, social, and emotional skills in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 151(NA), 104771. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104771
Tsai, W., Lee, I., & Chen, C. (2021). Inclusion of third-person perspective in CAVE-like immersive 3D virtual reality role-playing games for social reciprocity training of children with an autism spectrum disorder. Universal Access in the Information Society, 20(2), 375-389. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-020-00724-9
Yuan, S. N. V., & Ip, H. H. S. (2018). Using virtual reality to train emotional and social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder. London journal of primary care, 10(4), 110-112.