These 3 sessions have been designed to support all staff at NextSense.

Session 1: Early identification of autism from infancy to preschool and considerations for children with hearing and vision loss

Available to view

This presentation will cover research into the early signs of autism, including children who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have low vision. It will outline the development, validation, and implementation of the SACS and ASDetect early autism identification tools used by health and early education professionals from 11-60 months, to identify autistic children as early and effectively as possible.

Presenter: Associate Professor Josephine Barbaro

Associate Professor Josephine Barbaro, MEd&DevPsych, PhD, is a Principal Research Fellow and Psychologist at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. Her research interests are in the early identification and diagnosis of autism in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and family health and well-being following a diagnosis. A/Prof Barbaro’s developmental surveillance program for autism, the SACS, has been developed over the past 17 years, and is used by healthcare professionals around the world. A/Prof Barbaro’s early detection program has led to the development of ASDetect; the world’s first, empirically-based, early autism detection app for infants and toddlers. Her passion is translating research into practice, particularly for under-resourced and under-represented communities.

Session 2: ASD in the Audiology Booth

Available to view

This session will provide points to consider when working with a child who has, or may have, an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, drawn from case studies and general experiences with clients visiting NextSense Paediatric Audiologists. We will discuss examples of strategies and processes that support and engage these clients to provide supportive, successful, assessment experiences. Discussions will include strategies for raising the “elephant in the room” where an Autistic Spectrum Disorder is yet to be diagnosed.

Presenter: Kim Ter-Horst

Session 3: General support for clients with ASD

Date: 12-1pm AEDT 24 November

Presenter: Lauren Cheng

Each person on the autism spectrum is unique and there is no one-size-fits-all approach when working with this client group. Nevertheless, this webinar session will look at some general strategies and guidelines that will guide your intervention planning process. It is important to consider the unique strengths and interests, as well as needs of ASD clients. We will also look at a holistic approach when working with the client family (e.g., siblings, when a parent is also on the spectrum).