Date: Saturday, October 10th, 2009
Check-In Time(s): 8:30am-9:00am
Class Time(s): 9:00am-3:00pm
Location: Fairview Riverside East building, Brennan Center

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!

Speaker(s):
Denise Kania, OTR/L, has worked as an occupational therapist since 1984, with children and adolescents since 1989. She has specialized in sensory integration since 1994 and worked for Fairview Pediatric Rehabilitation’s outpatient pediatric program since 2001.  She is Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) certified. She has presented to the Autism Society of Minnesota, and North American Orthopsychiatric Society, Fairview Pediatric Rehabilitation metro and regional staff, Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association, and Minnesota Speech Hearing Association as well as Early Childhood, school, and parent groups on topics including Sensory Integration, Quirky Kids, and Occupational Therapy-Speech Therapy Co-Treatment.
Samantha Sawyer, M.A. CCC-SLP, works at Fairview Pediatric Rehabilitation in Eagan. She presented at The Help Group's Autism Institute in Los Angelos, CA in the Summer of 2006. She co-presented at the Fairview Pediatric Retreat on autism and sensory integration disorders in the Fall of 2008. She has experience in providing social skill group therapy to children with special needs ages 3-22 years. She enjoys co-treatment sessions with OT's, giving presentations and providing parent coaching. Interests in functional therapy and integrative medicine have impacted her work with pediatric speech-language issues.

Course Description:
This half-day course is intended to provide an overview of characteristics of children with autism spectrum diagnoses with focus on treatment perspectives in pedatric rehab settings. We will introduce topics of sensory-motor organization related to function and treatment. Perspectives on behavioral management related to meltdowns, temper tantrums, refusals and self-stimulation will be addressed. We will indentify sensory and language strategies to elicit engagement and joint attention to advance social-communication skills and functional performance in routine childhood enviroments. Terminology for documentation will be discussed.

*This course is eligible for AOTA Approved Provider credit. The assignment of AOTA CEU's does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products or clinical procedures by AOTA.*
*This course is eligible for MN Board of PT Category 1 continuing education credit.*
*This course is eligible for ASHA Approved Provider credit. The assignment of ASHA CEU's does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products or clinical procedures by ASHA.*

Course Objectives:
All participants will gain understanding of a sensory-based approach to autism diagnoses including evaluation, documentation and treatment.
- Identify possible meanings of characteristic autistic behaviors in light of sensory processing and communication needs.
- Identify sensory-based strategies to connect with these children and to match intervention to their level of function in order to elicit joint attention, social-communication skills an readiness to learn to enhance treatment outcomes.
- Identify documentation strategies and terminology to support reimbursement.

Course Agenda:
9:00-9:05- Intro
9:05-9:10- Diagnosis Criteria for Autism
9:10-9:20- Brain levels
9:20-9:55- SI framework related to observable behaviors
9:55-10:30- Diagnosis viewed through sensory integration lens
10:30-10:45- Break
10:45-10:55- Treatment basics
10:55-11:40- Skilled intervention
11:40-12:00- Reinforcement of behavior
12:00-1:00- Lunch
1:00-1:45- Eliciting engagement and joint attention
1:45-2:30- Treatment flow
2:30-2:45- Documentation
2:45-2:50- Beyond the clinic
2:50-3:00- Q and A