Self-Regulation: Keeping the Body, Mind & Emotions Regulated in Children with Autism, ADHD or Sensory Differences

Credit

Program Information

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners.  For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.

Speaker

Maria Slavin, MS, OTR/L Related seminars and products

In-Sync and Social Inc

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Maria Slavin, MS, OTR/L/ has over 20 years of experience as an occupational therapist specializing in the treatment of behavioral health diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, and anxiety disorders.

In 2013, maria founded In-Sync and Social, a private therapy practice, using a combined sensory and behavioral approach to social emotional learning for children and adults. Throughout her career, she has worked in many settings, including pediatric hospitals, public & private schools, early intervention programs, and within leadership of behavioral health organizations. Maria is a trusted clinical and educational consultant both locally in the Philadelphia area and as a speaker at the national level on neuroscience and self-regulation. She has served as an adjunct instructor at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and Temple University. Her expertise has helped numerous families, professionals, and organizations.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Maria Slavin maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with Temple University. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Maria Slavin has no relevant non-financial relationships.

 

Additional Info

Program Information

For live CE credit, you must watch the live webcast in its entirety at its scheduled time and complete the CE quiz and evaluation within one week. You will have access for 90 days after the program for review.

Please note: There will be a 70-minute lunch and two 15-minute breaks; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lunch and break times will be announced by the speaker and at their discretion. A more detailed schedule is available upon request.

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Objectives

1. Assess sensory symptoms to determine appropriate interventions to improve social participation.
2. Evaluate sensory processing strategies to improve self-regulation skills in young clients.
3. Utilize cognitive-behavioral interventions and strategies to manage symptoms of ADHD and autism.
4. Select between role play, video modeling, and other creative interventions to promote self-management skills.
5. Choose co-regulation strategies between adults and kids to promote social connection.
6. Utilize the latest research in neuroscience to assess the function of children’s behavior.

Outline

How Self-Regulation Affects a Child’s Physical, Mental, and Emotional Wellbeing

• Emotions, behavior, and the brain
• Impact on academics, social skills, relationships
• Correlation with sensory processing disorder, ADHD, autism, giftedness, anxiety, and related conditions
• Behavior and sensory assessment tools to pinpoint the underlying causes
• Limitations of research and potential risks

Sensory Processing Strategies

• Set kids up for success by meeting the underlying needs
• Hidden senses: vestibular, proprioceptive, interoceptive
• Characteristics of sensory modulation difficulties
• Create a sensory lifestyle
• Strategies across various settings for over-responsivity, under responsivity, and mixed responsiveness
• Develop sensory boxes, sensory schedules & plans, and sensory-friendly spaces
• Strategies for difficult routines such as meals and bedtime

ADHD & Autism Approaches

• Recruiting the higher-level areas of the brain
• Levels of autism
• Working with attention, emotions, and other executive functions
• Communication strategies that promote social engagement
• Strategies for picky eating and poor sleep habits
• Behavioral strategies for minimizing difficult behaviors and shaping desired behaviors/Positive Behavior Support approach
• Strategies for smooth transitions
• Calming Strategies
• Environmental strategies and adaptations
• Case studies highlighting why we see certain behaviors and reflecting successful intervention

Self-Management Strategies

• The key to ending power struggles
• Role play and video modeling techniques
• Communication strategies that provide emotional control
• Mindfulness and nervous system co-regulation strategies for kids and the adults interacting with them
• Visual schedules, social stories, visual timers
• Self-monitoring forms and apps
• Self-regulation toolkits/strategy lists

Tying It All Together

• One size does NOT fit all
• From assessment to intervention
• A systematic approach to strategy selection
• Case studies and group problem-solving

Target Audience

• Occupational Therapists
• Occupational Therapy Assistants
• Educators
• Speech-Language Pathologists
• Counselors
• Psychologists
• Social Workers
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Physical Therapists
• Physical Therapist Assistants