The Emergence of Stone and Shell Cameos

Maria Kechaidis is a respected presence in the counseling sphere who leads OMNI Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC, and works with children with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Passionate about antiques, Maria Kechaidis focuses on jewelry, including hand painted and carved brooches.

Set into brooches, bracelets, rings, and earrings, cameos typically feature classical figures, scenery, and faces at profile and were originally crafted from stone. Among the stones suitable for the intricate carvings are agate, onyx, coral, jet, and lava. 

By the 16th century, demand for less expensive cameos led to shells being used, and these included common Mediterranean findings such as white and pink Queen’s Conches and Black Helmet. They were particularly popular among visitors to Roman ruins such as Herculaneum and Pompeii, and Italian cameo carvers established retail presences spanning England, France, and North America.

With stone cameos generally holding more value than those made from shells, the single largest determiner of value is the artistry involved. A magnifying glass reveals the craftsmanship, including the smoothness and assurance of the detail and lines. Holding a cameo up to a light emphasizes a piece's translucency, and may further reveal cracks and other imperfections that will impact value.

Prenatal Vitamins Associated with Lower Autism Risk

Guiding OMNI Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC, as counselor and clinical director, Maria Kechaidis has a focus on solutions that meet the diverse requirements of New Jersey families. An emphasis for Maria Kechaidis is on understanding and treating people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry points to the potential benefit of taking prenatal vitamins within the first month of pregnancy. Encompassing 241 children with older siblings living with ASD, the research involved evaluation of child development from six months through three years old. 

Similar to previous study findings, approximately one-fourth of children whose older siblings lived with ASD also developed autism. However, a major shift was experienced among children whose mothers had taken prenatal vitamins early in the pregnancy. Of these children, 14.1 percent went on to develop autism, as opposed to 32.7 percent of those whose mothers took no vitamin supplements. 

A key conclusion was that vitamins with iron and folic acid seem to protect against autism and other developmental disorders.

About Greek Singer/Songwriter Haris Alexiou

As co-founder and director of OMNI Behavioral Health Solutions in New Jersey, Maria Kechaidis oversees a team that helps children and families to manage a variety of emotional, behavioral, and developmental challenges. Outside of work, Maria Kechaidis enjoys exploring the culture of Greece, including the country’s food and music. She lists Haris Alexiou among her favorite Greek singers.

Referred to by her fans as Haroula (Little Grace), Haris Alexiou is a Thebes-born vocalist and songwriter who has been a part of the Greek musical scene for more than four decades. Since releasing her first album, 12 Laika Tragoudia (12 Folk Songs), in 1975, she has become one of the most popular Greek musical artists of all time.

Over the course of her career, Alexiou has performed throughout the world, including many European cities as well as destinations in Australia, Russia, Africa, Asia, and the United States. In addition to singing in Greek, she has performed songs in French, German, Arabic, and other languages.

A specialist in the Greek musical style of rembetika, Alexiou has built a discography comprising more than three dozen solo albums and a number of collaborations with various artists. Her most recent album, Ta Oneira Ginontai Pali (Dreams Are Made Again), was released in 2014.

Signs and Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder

A New Jersey-based counselor, Maria Kechaidis serves as co-founder and clinical director of OMNI Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC. In this capacity, she provides intensive counseling and needs assessments to children and families involved in the New Jersey Children’s System of Care. Maria Kechaidis also maintains an interest in treating Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and earned a certificate in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA).

The signs of ASD often start appearing in infancy and early childhood. Since infants cannot speak, most of the symptoms that appear at this young age are non-verbal in nature. Babies and toddlers with ASD will not respond to familiar voices or to their own name. Further, they will struggle with making eye contact in various scenarios. It’s also common to see babies and toddlers with ASD not imitate facial expressions and movements of their parents, or care if parents are hurt.

As children develop, there are several red flags associated with ASD. At six months, children with an autism disorder will not smile or show a joyful expression. They will continue to not respond to their name by age 1, and will likely not say any words until around 16 months. They won’t start saying meaningful two-word phrases at 2 years, as is normal.

Once kids are older, the signs and symptoms of ASD become more diverse and focus around specific disorders contained within the spectrum. However, most symptoms still revolve around social difficulties, speech challenges, non-verbal communication problems (such as preferring not to be touched), using a strange voice to speak, and facial expressions that don’t match what’s being said.

Down Syndrome - A Basic Introduction

Since 2008, Maria Kechaidis has served as clinical director of OMNI Behavioral Health Solutions, which she co-founded in Freehold, New Jersey. Maria Kechaidis and her team frequently work with children who have developmental challenges, including those with Down syndrome.

Down syndrome is a condition that results from the presence of an extra chromosome, specifically chromosome 21. It is the most prevalent chromosomal abnormality and affects approximately one in every 700 babies born in the United States.

Children with Down syndrome tend to have reduced muscle tone and often reach gross motor milestones at an older age than their typically developing peers. Lower muscle tone levels also may lead to trouble with feeding and a predisposition to digestive upset, one of the medical conditions common in children and adults with Down syndrome. Approximately 50 percent of children with Down syndrome have a congenital heart defect and hearing or vision problems, and all children with the condition have higher risk of pulmonary hypertension.

The majority of children with Down syndrome have mild to moderate intellectual disability. They may learn more slowly than other children and are likely to be delayed in the development of personal care skills such as dressing and toilet learning. Nevertheless, given sufficient support and encouragement, they can become highly productive citizens with valuable skills, talents, and qualities.

Brains of Children with Autism Show Folding Pattern Differences

Maria Kechaidis serves as clinical director of OMNI Behavioral Health Solutions, a company she co-founded in 2008. In her leadership role, Maria Kechaidis provides assessments and in-home services for children with autism and other intellectual and developmental challenges.

According to two studies recently released in the journal Cerebral Cortex, children with autism tend to have different folding patterns in their brains than their neurotypical peers. One set of data comes out of San Diego State University, where psychology professor Ralph-Axel Muller and his team conducted brain scans on 64 neurotypical children and 64 children with autism, all between the ages of 6 and 18. 

The researchers found that children with autism had above-average folding in parts of the brain regions that process sound and spatial information, as well as in areas that control motor skills and decision making. The brain's visual center showed fewer folds in the same children. Another set of scans confirmed these findings, which suggest either early disruptions in brain development or a secondary effect of brain overgrowth at young ages.

Another study, conducted at the University of California, Davis, performed similar scans on 154 3-year-old children, 105 of whom were boys who had autism and 49 of whom were control subjects. This study found that children with autism whose brains were enlarged had excessive folding in particular areas of the cortex. The researchers believe that this suggests a subtype of autism that involves particular brain function differences, but more research is being conducted to further understand the findings.

Study Shows Children with ASD More Prone to Food Allergies

As the co-founder and clinical director of OMNI Behavioral Health Solutions, Maria Kechaidis ensures that children and families receive quality treatment and counseling services through the continuum of care. Under the management of Maria Kechaidis, the multi-specialty practice offers intensive in-home services to children with developmental disabilities like autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

A recent study from the University of Iowa has found that children with ASD are more prone to having food allergies. According to the lead author, these findings contribute to past research suggesting that immunologic disruptions begin at an early stage in life, which in turn influence brain growth and lead to the development of ASD.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that around 11.25 percent of children with ASD experience a food allergy. On the other hand, only 4.25 percent of children without ASD have a food allergy.

While the study could not determine the cause of the relationship between ASD and food allergies, previous research suggested a few possibilities that range from modifications in the gut biome to an increased production of antibodies.

The lead author recommends future studies on children since birth in order to establish a clear connection.