Building an Effective Approach in the Treatment of Individuals on the Autism Spectrum (2 Day)

Numerous treatment strategies for individuals with Autism have evolved over the years leaving clinicians and teachers feeling overwhelmed. This intermediate level course for SLPs, OTs, and teachers presents a framework for designing an eclectic program to obtain the best outcomes for your patients with Autism. In this two-day course, emphasis on structure takes a front row seat in the design of your programs and classroom. As clinicians or teachers, our working understanding of Autism becomes the foundation of our decision-making process. Some of the topics discussed to consider including in your program is: using a reinforcer assessment, effective utilization of PECS, Incidental Teaching, Visual Cueing Systems, language development comparison of neuro typical versus neuro a-typical, Social Skills development and treatment strategies, improved understanding of the 8 sensory systems and their impact on communication, structuring the environment, work systems, behavior management strategies, Theory of Mind (ToM), Autobiographical Memory (AM), the Polyvagal Theory, and effective techniques to improve speech intelligibility. You will leave this course feeling empowered with strategies that have proven the test of time to make you and your patient/student successful..

ATTENDANCE:

1. Attend as part of the LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE in Gulf Breeze, Florida - Studio audience seats are limited - so register today!
2. Attend via LIVE STREAM from anywhere around the world. Live stream participants will login to access the event from their computer.

NOTE:

• This live event is streamed in real time. 
• Course agenda is in Central time, please adjust for your time zone
• Registrants who attend the live broadcast will be able to interact with instructor.
• All registrants will have access to the broadcast recording for 14 days.
• A group may view the course together, however each attendee must be individually registered in order to receive CE credit.

COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS:

• Attend/view entire course
• Pass multiple choice quiz (80% min score)
• Complete online course evaluation

CEUs:

• SLPs - this course is registered with ASHA as Blended Learning. ASHA CEUs may be earned by attending live, viewing the recording, or a combination of both.
• OTs - Participants who need live hours for state license renewal must attend in real time yet, will still have access to the recording for 14 days.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Discuss various treatments utilized today for individuals with Autism
• Define the PolyVagal Theory and it’s implication with the nervous system.
• Compare and contrast language development with typically developing and preschoolers with Autism.
• Discuss Theory of Mind (ToM) and Autobiographical Memory (AM) with relation to social skills development.
• List the 8 sensory systems and the impact they may have on the patient/student.
• Discuss the most effective way to implement the Picture Exchange Communication System.
• Detail how to implement independent workstations for varying levels of children.
• Effectively choose reinforcers with implementation of a choice board.
• Discuss the types and hierarchy of a prompting system to encourage errorless learning methods to include shaping and fading techniques.
• List ideas to make the classroom/therapy room more predictable and organized allowing patients/students to function with as much independence as possible

Course Instructor(s)

Jodie Dacy

M.S. CCC-SLP, NDC

Jodie graduated from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL with a Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders. She has been a practicing speech language pathologist since 1995 with extensive experience in the private sector, school settings and clinical experience in hospital settings which include long term care and outpatient rehab. Jodie became a VitalStim® Provider in 2005. Since then she has utilized this modality in the treatment of dysphagia with both her pediatric and adult patients. Jodie is also a licensed NOMAS® practitioner and certified in NDC (NMES for Dysphagia), MDTP (McNeil Dysphagia Therapy Program) and Myofascial Release. She has presented locally and nationally on various topics such as Best Practices, The Benefits of Oral Motor/Feeding Therapy on Articulation/Speech Clarity amongst others. Currently, Jodie serves the Speech Language Pathology profession as a therapist at Val Verde Regional Hospital in TX and as a certified instructor of the VitalStim® Therapy and DINES Specialty Certificate Program for CIAO Seminars.

Financial Disclosure: Jodie receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of this course. She also receives royalties for the purchase of her recorded course(s)
Non-Financial Disclosure: Jodie uses VitalStim Therapy in her practice.

Course Agenda

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Intermediate Level
1.2 ASHA CEUs

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CIAO is recognized on the NBCOT Provider Registry (meets PDU requirements for NBCOT)

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CIAO is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). CIAO complies with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices. As a result of this accreditation, CIAO is accredited to issue the IACET CEU.

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CIAO Automatically reports to CE Broker for Florida Occupational and Physical Therapists and Assistants. Florida SLPs can either use the ASHA CE Participant Form (Bubble Sheet) or self-submit through CE Broker.