Special Needs

INCLUDING CHILDREN OF ALL ABILITIES IN YOUR DAYCARE
This workshop focuses on the inclusion of young children with a variety of special needs in traditional child care settings. You will learn how to identify children who may need special help and how to receive support and assistance around inclusion. Suggestions for activities that work well for children of all levels of ability will be presented.

Behavior Management

TOP TEN LIST: ADVISE FOR PARENTS REGARDING PROBLEM BEHAVIOR AT HOME
This presentation will identify and discuss specific behavior-based strategies for parents to aid in managing and decreasing the occurance of challenging behavior at home and in the community. In addition, participants will be taught behavior-based methods of providing instruction and assistance to children who evidence different learning styles (e.g., non-verbal language disorders, central auditory processing problems and visual learning strengths). Supporting materials will be distributed.

GUIDING THE BEHAVIOR OF YOUNG CHILDREN
This session will address the challenge of understanding why children learn to use inappropriate as well as positive behavior to communicate with others. The concept of functional assessment of behavior will be introduced and explained using relevant examples. The focus will be on how to teach new communication/behavioral skills to help children learn to meet their needs rather than simple trying to "stop" the undesired behavior.

BEHAVIORAL ISSUES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD - THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM
This training will describe the range of behavioral concerns demonstrated by children in early childhood programs. The range of “developmentally appropriate behaviors will be contrasted with the types and ranges of behavior that differ from typical development. A discussion of the increasing number of children who present with these concerns will occur, with an emphasis on how practitioners can make a difference by focusing on critical learning skills in early childhood.

THE DEFIANT CHILD, WHAT DO I DO?
The increasing number of children who present with oppositional behavior has resulted in the need to focus on the reasons why such behavior occurs in both typically developing children and those with specific medical or psychiatric causes. The presentation is designed to give parents and practitioner's tools to more effectively manage this behavior as well as support the development of more adaptive and flexible responding on the part of the child. Specific examples of how to build adaptability/flexibility are described. Opportunities to discuss specific audience examples and problem solve them will be provided.

APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS: INTRODUCTION FOR NON-PRACTITIONERS
This presentation is designed for those individuals who are looking to find out what Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is and is not. A discussion of how it relates to and differs from other types of treatment methods will occur. The presentation will address such issues as “rote” responding, lack of emotionality, rigidity, developing social and play skills, as well as the range of people and skill levels of those implementing ABA.

Diagnosis Specific Training

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS - THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM
Autism/Pervasive Development Disorders will be defined and described in terms of early symptomatology, diagnostic criteria and description of environmental management of children within the daycare setting. Treatment options and recommendations for enhancing learning and social interaction will be discussed.

INTERVENTIONS FOR SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH ADHD
This presentation will begin with an overview of how children with ADHD present in terms of symptomatology. It will then focus on specific strategies for increasing the ability of these children to learn to attend, focus, and inhibit problem behavior better than they currently do. The emphasis will be on functional strategies that parents and teachers can implement more effectively teach skills/behavior to children with ADHD.