COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This presentation will review the current best practices in the diagnosis and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), focusing on those children with autism who have good language abilities. These are children and adolescents who have either high functioning autism or Asperger’s Disorder as well as some with Pervasive Developmental Disorder – not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). The focus of the presentation will be on school-aged children.
The presentation will review the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for autism, Asperger’s disorder and PDD-NOS. A case will be presented to illustrate common behavioral problems seen in middle-school aged children. Mental health management and treatment will be presented based on what is known about specific neuro-cognitive deficits of ASD, these being - theory of mind, executive functioning and central coherence. Examples of cognitive-behavioral stress reduction techniques will be provided as well as resources for specific therapies to help school-aged children with ASD develop social and organizational skills.
PRESENTER BIO
Linda Lotspeich, M.D.
 Linda Lotspeich is a child psychiatrist who has worked with special needs children for over three decades. She obtained a BA and MA in Education at the University of Cincinnati, focusing on children with autism and other developmental disorders. Dr. Lotspeich was a special education teacher for five years, before deciding to pursue a medical degree, at the University of Cincinnati, for the purpose of understanding the neurobiology of autism. She then came to Stanford University for resident training in pediatrics and psychiatry. Later she joined the psychiatry faculty, Directing the Stanford PDD/Neuropsychiatry Clinic and conducting research in the genetics and neuroimaging of autism. In 2005 Dr. Lotspeich spent two years developing and supporting ASD clinical services at Northern California Kaiser Permanente, a large integrated HMO. She has recently returned to Stanford to expand services for children with ASD and their families.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Participants who complete this course will be able:
- To review the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for evaluating a verbal child/youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- To identify the differential diagnosis of ASD when assessing a verbal child/youth with behavioral difficulties.
- To identify the neuro-cognitive deficits in children with ASD (theory of mind, executive functioning and central coherence).
- To recognize the cognitive-behavioral stress reduction techniques for children with ASD.
- To recognize the resources for learning social skills training strategies for school-aged children with ASD.
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OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE:
- Introductions & Financial Disclosures (2 min)
- Course Objections (2 min)
- Course Outline (2 min)
- Diagnosing a School-aged Child with ASD
- Case-Presentation (10 min)
- DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for ASD (5 min)
- Differential Diagnosis (2 min)
- Neuro-Cognitive Deficits (10 min)
- Classical Autism: Management & Treatment
- Effort (5 min)
- Stress Reduction (10 min)
- Social Skills Building (10 min)
- Summary (2 min)
- Questions and Answers (15 min)
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