Full Course Description

Early Intervention for Social-Emotional Development: Successful Sensory-Based Strategies for Birth to 5 Years

Program Information

Target Audience

Counselors, Teachers/Educators, Marriage & Family Therapists, Occupational Therapists & Occupational Therapy Assistants, Physical Therapists/Physical Therapist Assistants, Psychologists, Social Workers, Speech-Language Pathologists, and other Mental Health Professionals.

Objectives

Summarize how sensory and motor systems affect social-emotional development.
Analyze characteristics of sensory processing disorder, autism and general developmental delays.
Formulate when a concern is related to sensory or behavior problems.
Implement strategies for sleep and feeding concerns that can be used at home, daycare or school.
Employ strategies that will help children maintain attention, focus and regulation.
Design and demonstrate how to create plans for parents.
Produce multi-sensory experiences in treatment to improve cognitive and social skills.

Outline

Foundations of Social-Emotional Development: Birth- 5 Years

Behavior
Temperament
Attachment & relationships
Disorders and delays that impact development
Sensory and motor developmental factors
Foundations for treatment: Current research

Evaluation Tools & Assessment for Service

Family assessments
Five area assessments
Social-emotional assess

Treatment-based Strategies for Motor Development

Sensory integration
Strength and coordination activities
Interactive Metronome
Music and movement
Timing and sequencing

Sensory-based Strategies for Feed

Assessing sensory areas that affect feeding; tactile, olfactory, gustatory and proprioception
Mealtime behaviors: Routine, structure and scheduling
Four step sensory approach

Strategies for Behavioral Disorders

Routines and schedules to decrease behaviors
Daily report cards to improve self-regulation
Impact of sleep and nutrition on behaviors and strategies for each

Strategies for Emotional Disorders

Self-regulation technique to avoid meltdowns
Build self-esteem and confidence to improve social skills

Communication Strategies

Visual schedules to decrease frustration
Augmentative communication to improve social and emotional development
Social-communication for developmentally appropriate peer play

Cognitive Strategies

Multi-sensory experiences to improve cognitive and social skills
Personal stories to improve school and community behaviors
Video-modeling to improve peer interaction

Copyright : 03/17/2017

Sensory Motor Play in Early Intervention: Improving Self-Regulation, Social Skills and Development

Program Information

Target Audience

Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Educators, Counselors, Speech-Language Pathologists, Social Workers, Physical Therapists

Outline

Overview of Sensory Systems
- Emphasis on tactile, vestibular and proprioceptive
- Visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory
- Body in space/body awareness
- Modulation - when is it a problem?
Impact of Sensory on Behavior, Performance and Learning
- Attention, self-regulation, organization, executive function
- Motor output (gross, fine, handwriting)
- Activities of daily living (ADL’s)
- Behavior, social skills and self-esteem
Effective Intervention Strategies for:
- Sensory:
  - Use all 7 systems-we are more than just auditory and visual learners
  - Modulation-characteristics of hyper and hypo systems
  - Concentrate on foundation skills and deep pressure/heavy work
  - Sensory Lifestyle/Toolbox - How to use what’s right there
  - Sound therapies and music- utilizing what you hear to change behavior and performance
  - Environmental modifications
  - Interactive Metronome, Brain Gym and more
- Self-Regulation:
  - Yoga, Pilates, Me Moves-How movement helps
  - Breathing, oral-motor-using the ribcage and mouth to regulate
  - Meltdowns-prevention and what to do if you can’t
  - Transitions- how to help!
  - Social stories, visual-cognitive strategies and more
- Play:
  - The 5 different types of play and their role in development
  - Use “Theory of Mind” framework to facilitate play and regulation
  - Enhancing independent play vs. adult/computer-directed play
  - Activities to enhance creative play, ideation and planning abilities
  - Activities to prepare for core curriculum goals in K and early elementary

Objectives

Articulate extensive knowledge of the 7 sensory systems.
Determine the characteristics of hypo-responsivity and hyper-responsivity within sensory systems.
Explore the different types of play and the role each plays in early intervention.
Communicate why excessive technology interferes with many areas of development.
Design sensory and motor play interventions for motor development, emotional/behavioral development and self-regulation.
Utilize new activities to incorporate into your classrooms/therapy/homes.
Employ visual-cognitive strategies to enhance self-regulation.

Early Intervention for Autism: Assessment & Treatment Strategies for Birth to 5

Program Information

Target Audience

Speech Language Pathologists, Speech Language Pathology Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants Educators, Early Interventionists, Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Nurses, Diagnosticians, Behavior Specialists, Marriage and Family Therapists

Outline

Screening and Assessment
- Measure developmental milestones
- ‘Red flags’ of autism
- Subtle differences in neurotypical and at-risk infants
- Latest research in early intervention
- Video case studies:
  - Neurotypical and at-risk development
  - Subtle, easy to miss signs of autism
  - Distinct results of early intervention
Treatment Framework: Interrupt/Replace Coping Behaviors
- Underpinnings of displayed behavior
- Recognize and support sensory seeking/ avoiding actions
- Pair preferred and non-preferred actions/activities to enhance change
- Replacement activities that can interfere with aberrant behaviors
- The power of distraction that can alter rigid behaviors
- Stimulate engagement as initially related to their interests
- Unstick the ‘sticky’ attention
- Steps to broaden child’s play-based activity
Strategies/Techniques to Treat ‘Coping Behaviors’
- Meltdowns/tantrums
- ‘Stimming’
- Sensory seeking/avoiding
- Reduced engagement
- Reduction of social reciprocity
- Hyper-focusing
- Resistance to cuddling/being held
- Eating/sleeping challenges
- Repetitive behaviors
- Under-developed communication
- Resistance to change
Treatment Case Studies:
- How to begin treatment with a 9 month old
- 14 month old who does not respond to pain
- 2 year old with hyper-focus issues
- Build Customized Treatment Plans
- Practice designing realistic goals
- Dissect behaviors to build effective treatment plans
- Design a treatment plan for your client
- Reduce Insurance Denials
- Writing obtainable goals
- Documentation: Treatment steps to show progress

Objectives

Characterize the six developmental milestones found in young children as it relates to case conceptualization for the treatment of autism.
Analyze the 14 ‘red flags’ found in a young child who is at-risk for autism and utilize this information to assist with assessment and treatment planning.
Explain the subtle differences in neurotypical and at-risk infants for purposes of parent/family psychoeducation.
Utilize six screening and assessment tools to determine if autism is present in a young child.
Employ specific clinical strategies/techniques to reduce and replace challenging behaviors inherent to autism.
Characterize aberrant play behaviors in children that can be an early identifier to the possible risk for autism.