Autism. What now? Conference
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The conference was a success. Thank you everyone who attended. |
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Communication Development Sharlet Lee Jensen Biography Sharlet will lead discussions of all the different ways children communicate, with an emphasis on the importance of joint attention and desire to communicate. Specific strategies caregivers can use to increase these skills will be introduced. In addition, the role of augmentative communication strategies will be covered, with a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages of both low tech (e.g., PECS) and high tech (e.g., devices) options Toilet Training Tracy Hilgenfeld Biography This class is geared towards parents or teachers who are in the process of toilet training a young child with autism or who are eagerly anticipating this in the future. Topics will include pre-requisite skills for toilet training, motivating a child during toilet training, dealing with challenging behaviors, using visual supports, and transitioning from schedule training to independent toilet training. Class will include time for questions and problem solving for individual cases. Treatment Options Tracy Hilgenfeld and April D. McNeill Biographies When a child is newly diagnosed with autism, parents are faced with a myriad of treatment options to choose from. While treatments can be costly both in terms of time and money, most families have finite resources. Descriptions of current treatment options will be presented along with guidelines parents can use in evaluating the cost and benefits of potential treatments. Using Music for Social Reciprocity Jennifer Lubanski Biography During this session Jennifer will go over five early signs of autism and give simple ideas for therapeutically addressing these issues using songs, finger plays, and sensory play. Eye contact, pointing, name response, imitation and emotion identification will all be addressed in ways that motivate and engage children with autism. Learn how to have fun with your child. Challenging Behaviors April D. McNeill Biography This session will focus on dealing with challenging behaviors that are commonly found in young children on the autism spectrum. Strategies for identifying the causes of problem behaviors and using that information to develop workable solutions will be addressed. Participants are encouraged to bring and share current challenging behaviors that they are facing so that the group can have an opportunity to see practical applications of the strategies presented. Making Play Meaningful Sharlet Lee Jensen Biography Sharlet will cover why play is important for any child's development, and more specifically, how play can be used therapeutically with children on the autism spectrum. Guidelines for choosing the most appropriate toys will be provided, with an emphasis on using items easily available instead of seeking out new or expensive specialty products. Caregivers should leave with ideas of how to see the individual steps needed to teach new play skills and feel ready to apply them. The target audience is caregivers of children who have no meaningful object play to children who have some play skills but lack the variety or sophistication expected for their age. |
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8:45-9:00 Greeting and orientation 9:00-10:25 * 10:35-12:00 * 12:00-1:00 Lunch Afternoon: 1:00-2:25 * 2:35-4:00 * 4:00-4:30 Re-gather, explore foyer tables *Choose one of the workshops listed to attend |
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| More Information about the conference |
The information presented at this conference is not associated with any particular therapy or intervention, instead it is based on generally accepted, empirically based interventions for children with special needs. We are not pushing a new system, instead we are attempting to get vitally important information into the hands of the people living and working with autism everyday. The toilet training and challenging behavior presentations are based on general behavioral techniques. The communication and play presentations are based on child development and effective speech therapy. The music presentation is based on scientific studies showing the benefits of music for young children and using the responses of children with autism to reinforce positive social interactions. The treatment summary is simply an overview of treatment systems parents may subscribe to, depending on family needs and personalities.
We as professionals and family members working with children with autism have found parents are left to wander in the scary time between noticing their child is not keeping up developmentally with other children and the time they receive a diagnosis. Then, after months of wait lists they are bombarded with messages of the importance of early intervention and the realization that no one is going to help them pay for the therapy their child so desperately needs. We hope to fill this gap by putting foundational therapeutic principles into the hands of parents and caregivers that can be integrated into whatever treatment path they may choose. We want participants to go home with tools they can use immediately.