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Hello all,

We have two speakers who wanted to speak in the month of July but I couldn’t figure out which one to choose. Perhaps you can help. In the reply box below type either  “Goh” or “Palmiotto”. Ok here are the speakers:

Dr. Suzanne Goh is a board-certified pediatric neurologist with expertise in the evaluation and treatment of children with neurological conditions that impact brain development, cognition, and behavior.

Dr. Goh received her Bachelors of Arts degree, summa cum laude, in History and Science from Harvard University (1993-1997). She went on to attend Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar (1997-1999). In 2004, she graduated from Harvard Medical School, cum laude. Dr. Goh completed her Pediatrics internship at Massachusetts General Hospital and her Pediatric Neurology residency at University of California San Francisco.

Spectacular Bond: Reaching the Child with Autism with co-authors Dr. Marion Blank (developmental psychologist) and Susan Deland (parent of a child with autism). The book outlines a powerful six-step behavior program for children with autism that is implemented at home by a parent. The program is grounded in the latest research in neuroscience, linguistics, and the psychology of parent-child interactions. Through the program, children can achieve – within weeks – more meaningful social interaction, diminished temper tantrums, greater capacity for self control, and improved attention. When this behavior program is combined with optimal biomedical treatment, meaningful progress is possible in all aspects of development.

Jenny Palmiotto is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and certified RDI program consultant. She uses well-researched treatment methods including Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Relationship Development Intervention (RDI), Behavioral and Brief Models. She has extensive training and a decade of experience treating individuals on the autism spectrum.

She specializes in serving persons with invisible social deficits. She also has advanced training in working with couples that are longing to reconnect with on another. She is currently a 4th year doctoral student at Alliant International University. She received her masters from University of San Diego.

This is our 5th annual autism conference and workshop sponsored by Momsfightingautism.com. All you need is your computer and phone to participate in this event.

Date: Tuesday, September 17
Time: 11am Pacific, 1pm (Eastern)

Speaker: Dr. Carl Hillier

Dr. Hillier an expert in vision and how it applies to autism will be presenting a free online event where parents, educators and parents can listen in and ask questions. This topic is a vital subject just in time for back to school We hope you can make it to this wonderful talk.

Bio:
Carl G. Hillier, OD, FCOVD of the San Diego Center for Vision Care, graduated from the University of California San Diego in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. He received a Bachelor of Science degree at Pacific University in 1980 and then graduated as a Doctor of Optometry in 1982. He is a Fellow in the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. Dr. Hillier is an adjunct clinical professor at the Southern California College of Optometry and Illinois College of Optometry. In 1992 Dr. Hillier helped found the Vision Rehabilitation Clinic at the San Diego Rehabilitation Institute at Alvarado Hospital.

Event Date: Wednesday, December 5th

Event Time: 6pm Pacific (9pm Eastern)

Speaker: Dr. Robert Naseef

Description:

No matter what tradition you celebrate, holidays are often filled with stress. There is a lot of pressure to make the holidays perfect and fun while enjoying yourself. When you add to that the stresses around having a child with special needs it can become even more overwhelming. Everything needs readjusting in your family life and as a mother you are left with the emotions. It is on you to make warm experiences and wonderful traditions. It’s important to sit back for a few minutes and reflect. This webinar will provide insights and helpful tips for this holiday season.

Bio of Dr. Robert Naseef

Robert Naseef is a psychologist in independent practice. Special Children, Challenged Parents: The Struggles and Rewards of Parenting a Child with a Disability, his first book, has received international recognition. He has lectured internationally and appeared on radio and television. He is the co-editor of Voices from the Spectrum: Parents, Grandparents, Siblings, People with Autism, and Professionals Share Their Wisdom (2006). Living Along the Autism Spectrum (2009) is a new DVD which features him along with Stephen Shore and Dan Gottlieb.
Dr. Naseef’s specialty is working with families of children with autism and other special needs. He has published many articles in scholarly journals and other publications. He has “a foot in each world” as the father of an adult child with autism. He has a special interest and expertise in the psychology of men and fatherhood. Through his experiences as a parent and as a professional, Robert is relates to both audiences and is a sought after speaker around the country.

Rabbi Harold Kushner, the author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People, endorsed Special Children, Challenged Parents. In Rabbi Kushner’s words, “Writing with the wisdom of a mental health professional and the compassion of a loving father, Dr. Naseef has given us a book that will instruct and inspire us all.”

In 2008, Robert Naseef was honored by Variety, the Children’s Charity for his outstanding contributions over the past 20 years to the autism community. You can visit him on the web at www.alternativechoices.com

Event Date:Tuesday, November 20th

Event Time:6pm Pacific (9pm Eastern)

Speaker:Nancy Brady, Ph.D.

Description:

Standardized assessments are of limited value for individuals who communicate nonverbally or with very few words. Dr. Brady will discuss how to combine information from caregiver report with information from structured assessments to describe how individuals communicate with gestures, vocalizations, signs, symbols as well as spoken words. She will describe a communication scale called the Communication Complexity Scale that she and colleagues developed to describe communication development starting with awareness of one’s surroundings up through beginning word use.

Bio of Nancy Brady, Ph.D.

Nancy Brady, Ph.D. is a professor at the University of Kansas. She has been conducting research on communication assessments and interventions for over 20 years. She is a certified speech language pathologist and has over 40 publications.

Event Date: Wednesday, September 26

Event Time: 6pm Pacific (9pm Eastern)
Countdown Timer:

Speaker: Kari Miller


Question Submission:

Phone number to call:

Description:

It can be so frustrating to watch your child successfully sound out words, but not have a good idea of the meaning of what he or she is reading. Reading comprehension can be very difficult for students on the spectrum and schools often don’t give your child enough of the right kind of help. The good news is that parents can learn techniques to help their child become better comprehenders, even if the school isn’t providing targeted reading instruction to your child. The key is skillfully applying strategies that draw on your child’s strengths and slowly increasing his or her skills in areas that are challenging.

Bio of Kari Miller

You know how some students with learning challenges such as autism, attention deficit disorder or learning disabilities have poor grades, struggle with school work and think they can’t learn…well I help children with these problems to improve their grades, and increase their chances of getting into college, all while helping them develop their true talents.

If you’re like the parents I work with, you are looking for help for your child who is struggling in school. There are five factors that can get in the way of learning for students with complicated learning needs, and all five of their problems must be addressed for them to succeed. They need to:

* Be taught in a way that fits their learning style—not just the same old approach that is used for other students.
* Catch up on basic skills they’ve missed because they learn differently.
* Build their core learning skills such as attention and memory that students need to be successful.
* Learn how to set priorities, manage their time and study to remember what they are learning.
* Believe in themselves again so they can play the game of school to win.

My five-step SUCCESS program gives students with complicated learning needs the tools they need to be successful in school and in life.

Dr. Kari Miller, PhD, Board Certified Educational Therapist, began her career almost twenty years ago as a special education resource teacher. She has worked with students in a vast array of capacities, including special education teacher and educational therapist.

Dr. Miller has a PhD in Educational Psychology and Mathematical Statistics, a master’s degree in Learning Disabilities, Gifted Education and Educational Diagnosis, and a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Behavior Disorders.

Visit her website to learn about the power of her SUCCESS approach to educating learners with complicated learning needs such as autism, learning disabilities, and ADHD.

http://millereducationalexcellence.com/

Event Date: Wednesday, August 22

Event Time: 6pm Pacific (9pm Eastern)

Speaker: Caren Haines

Description:

Up to 50% of all children have undiagnosed seizure disorders, to a great extent because they are difficult to diagnose and due to a lack of awareness and understanding. Caren Haines, with renowned behavioral child neurologist Nancy Minshew, MD, is determined to change that. At age two, author Caren Haines’ son was diagnosed with autism. By the time he was 12, his diagnosis didn’t account for his uncontrollable aggression, the acrid smells that lingered in his mind and the odd voices that screamed at him from inside his head. By the time he was 18, his out-of-control behavior mirrored a mood disorder with psychotic features. Silently Seizing begins with a close-up look at this family’s journey and examines a disorder that cannot always be identified in a clinical setting. Intersecting at two medical sub-specialties, neurology and psychiatry, the child who has autism and partial seizures is at a serious disadvantage. By inadvertently allowing children’s brains to “silently seize,” we are robbing children of their ability to function normally. When treated early with anti-seizure medications, many children show amazing gains in expressive language and comprehension. Many begin to speak and learn as many troubling behaviors begin to disappear. Even more important, many children lose their diagnosis of autism.

Bio of Caren Haines

Caren Haines is the mother of a 24-year-old son diagnosed with autism as a young child. As a registered nurse, Caren relied upon her nurse’s training to assist her in deciphering the origins of many of her son’s perplexing behaviors. Based on knowledge gained from years of intensive research she compiled for this book; as well as, information provided by top researchers in the field of autism, Caren is helping families become free from the debilitating symptoms of silent seizures and psychosis. She is also co-author of a children’s book, Georgie, The Flying Dog, which explores the concept of unconditional love and acceptance of our differences.

Date: Tuesday, May 15
Time: 6pm Pacific (9pm Eastern)

Considering autism as an expression of the diversity of the human gene pool rather than a life limiting disorder, let’s look at how people with this condition are able to build fulfilling and productive lives.  Drawing from the author’s own experiences as well as others on the autism spectrum, practical solutions in the areas of education, relationships, employment, self-advocacy, and disclosure shall be explored for maximizing the potential of people both on and off the autism spectrum.

Bio of Stephen Shore

Diagnosed with “Atypical Development and strong autistic tendencies” and “too sick” for outpatient treatment Dr. Shore was recommended for institutionalization. Nonverbal until four, and with much support from his parents, teachers, wife, and others, Stephenis now a professor at Adelphi University where his research focuses on matching best practice to the needs of people with autism.
In addition to working with children and talking about life on the autism spectrum, Stephen presents and consults internationally on adult issues pertinent to education, relationships, employment, advocacy, and disclosure as discussed in his books Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, Ask and Tell: Self-advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum, the critically acclaimed Understanding Autism for Dummies, and the newly released DVD Living along the Autism Spectrum: What it means to have Autism or Asperger Syndrome.
President emeritus of the Asperger’s Association of New England and former board member of the Autism Society, Dr. Shore serves in the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Association, and other autism related organizations.