This workshop provided an overview

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This workshop provided an overview of how to use Profectum's Foundational Capacities for Development as the framework for school programs for young children. How developmental programs differ from other educational models and how these programs integrate the use of other approaches when needed was demonstrated through video examples. This workshop illustrated the foundation of how schools have to change to integrate the understanding and respect of individual differences, development and emotional thinking, motor planning and sequencing, and visual spatial abilities. Clear examples of how learning requires both the mind and body working together were be shared. Key principles and strategies were reviewed as a toolbox for professionals working in educational settings.
F. Coaching Parents
Barbara Kalmanson, PhD and Ruby Salazar, LCSW, BCD
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This workshop provided an overview of how to use Profectum's Foundational Capacities for Development as a framework for working with parents and their children. We see the methods of coaching families as central to the progress of the child and the quality of family life. Parents want to experience themselves as creative players and effective caregivers. This happens when we help them to think about the big picture of what they are hoping to accomplish, rather than just telling them what to do in the moment. Basic principles of parent coaching were provided and teh application of this important process explored and illustrated through narrative stories and video clips. Consideration of children with a range of strengths and challenges over the lifespan was considered in the context of parents' experiences and needs.
G. Advanced Clinical Thinking - Part 1:
Sensory Processing and Psychodynamics: An Integration of Theory, Thinking and Technique for Advanced Practice Across Disciplines
Tal Baz, MS, OTR and Gilbert Foley, PhD
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Conducted by an Occupational Therapist and Psychologist, this cross-disciplinary theory-to-practice presentation demonstrated the relevance of psychodynamic thinking to enriched relationship based developmental interventions. The presenters identified psychodynamic constructs and strategies that marry well with sensory-processing ones and have relevance to clinicians across disciplines helping children with ASD and other developmental disorders. The deconstruction and analysis of a case on which the presenters collaborated brought the material vitally alive and accessible by defining "what we did" and the clinical reasoning that informed it. The participants then had the opportunity to bring up clinical questions relevant to the material presented.
WORKSHOP SESSIONS II
H. DIR/Floortime Model Functional Emotional Developmental Levels 5-9
Lisa deFaria, LCSW, Griff Doyle, PhD & Monica Osgood
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In the Floortime Model, Part 2, the content of Part 1 for newcomers was briefly reviewed, and then concentrate on developing the DIR model levels IV - VI, which include the abilities to problem solve through social interactions in a continuous flow, to represent or symbolize intentions and feelings in imaginative play and/or language, and to think in logical and abstract ways. The emphasis was on how to tailor interactions to individual differences to assist the child to elaborate on his interests, create sequential dialogues, and represent and understand experience given the widening range of emotions and expectations development poses. Deepening the child's emotionally charged themes through pretend play conversations was underlined as a chief means of building richer and prolonged interactions to build emphay and deal with anxiety and constrictions. The session introduced ways parents can integrate Floortime model movements naturally during the course of their child's day, plus tips on working with a child's avoidant, rigid and perseverative behaviours, and when and how to raise the bar to move the child forward and integrating peers into the play. (For parents and professionals.)
I. Communication: Pathways to Progress
Cindy Harrison, M.Sc., Reg. CASLPO, Speech Language Pathologist
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This workshop focused on Profectum's Foundation Capacities for Development as a framework for communication. The workshop addressed how we look at a child's communication through a developmental lens and how we formulate our intervention plan based on our knowledge of the individual and his/her speech/language and communication profile. This workshop also focused on the questions we should ask ourselves and the issues we should consider as we conceptualize intervention for the child.
J. The Dyadic Space - Where Affect and Sensory Merge
Tal Baz MS, OTR, Rosemary White OTR/L and Rebecca Shahmoon Shanok, LCSW, PhD
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This workshop explored the possibilities for developmental change and growth offered by relational dyadic work. We used concepts from Infant Mental Health literature, mainly the idea of Coordinated Interpersonal Timing, to better understand the regulatory mechanisms which are used by parents to regulate their typically developing babies. We then looked at therapeutic case studies to see how we might apply these ideas to dyadic work done with children with Regulatory Disorders.
K. Understanding the Use of Medications for Individuals with Autism Spectum Disorders (ASD)
Ricki Robinson, MD, MPH
Not available as webcast
“Medication for my child?  No way - no how!” is the typical response of many parents and professionals when thinking about treatment. This workshop presented the science and the art of medication use for children with ASD in the context of the key behaviors that interfere with an individual's ability to sustain interactions and make developmental progress. This include consideration of appropriate medication use as supplemental support for mood, anxiety, aggression, and attention. Additionally, a systematic approach for follow up of medication use was presented to help parents and professionals determine whether this course of treatment is beneficial.
L. Education: Using an Integrated Approach in Middle School, High School and Young Adult Programs
Barbara Kalmanson, PhD and Monica G. Osgood
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This workshop provided an overview of how to use Profectum's Foundational Capacities for Development as the framework for school programs for older children and young adults. All components of Part 1 were continued while addressing the principles of working with children at higher developmental levels while continuing to support the foundations at lower developmental levels. Case studies illustrated how to truly address the core foundations of "thinking" to maximize social, emotional, academic and reflective processes to reduce anxiety and stereotypical behaviors and to maximize reflective, analytic, and critical thinking capacities and personal independence.
M. The Importance of Working with Families
Gilbert Foley, PhD and Ruby Salazar, LCSW, BCD
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This workshop provided an overview of how to use Profectum's Foundational Capacities for Development as the framework for what families living with autism want and need over the development lifespan for themselves as individuals, the family as a system and the dynamics and processes that impact their functioning and formation. We explored how to help families support the experiences of their child so as to maximize the child's developmental and adaptational capacities, the generalization of these skills across contexts, the management of transitions and meeting the needs of parents and siblings. The emotional life of the child in the environment of the family and their emotional needs were discussed.
N. Advanced Clinical Thinking - Part 2:
What does a baby want: Advanced clinical workshop about intention and communication in young children
Sima Gerber, PhD and Ron Balamuth, PhD
Not available as webcast
This workshop, conducted by a speech-language-pathologist and clinical psychologist, examined challenges that impact on progress at different developmental levels. The focus on how communicative-intent, comprehension, and emotional thinking dynamically interact to promote or derail progress will have relevance to clinicians and educations across disciplines. Strategies were proposed to facilitate greater identification of communicative intent in pre-verbal children, enhance mutual reciprocity between parent and child at early communication levels, support comprehension of language, and facilitate deeper emotional thinking.