Recherche

Ask any adult and they likely agree with this simple truth: children have an unparalleled ability to play with anything. Perhaps the best part of being an adult is that we have the privilege to rekindle our creativity through our pretend play adventures with our children. But sometimes, our kids look to us for ideas. Sometimes a child’s well of creativity runs dry, and there is a need to find original activities to pass the time. Perhaps the hardest part of being an adult is when two siblings run out of things to do! In this presentation, attendees will learn about the intersections of play, games, and behavioural treatment for children who live with Autism. Attendees will leave this presentation with knowledge about the importance of play in education, and some simple ideas to create play activities and games that encourage engagement and interactions in children.

Additional Session in this series:

1. Self Care Skills During COVID-19 with Janice Theodoropoulos
2. Fostering Safe Social Connections During COVID-19 with Carly Eby & Michau van Speyk
3. Creating Structure and Stability in the Home with Dawn Marciello & Joan Broto

Speaker: Harley Lang BCBA

Harley Lang is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst who lives and practices ABA in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is a part-time associate with Semiahmoo Behaviour Analysts Inc., where he designs behaviour interventions and consults with schools. Harley is the lead developer of Teaching Games, a community project that disseminates information about behaviour analysis and game-based learning. This past April, Teaching Games published The Playbook, a free resource for parents and educators that describes how to implement game-based learning.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for many, but recent research suggests that the mental health and overall wellbeing of families of children on the autism spectrum have been disproportionally impacted by multiple waves of lockdowns across Canada. In this panel with researchers Dr. Vivian Lee (Carleton University) and Jonathan Weiss (York University), as well as researcher-parent Dr. Janet McLaughlin (Wilfred Laurier), Matthew Ley (host) will discuss the current research on how autistic children and their families have been impacted by the pandemic but also ways in which families have been able to cope and thrive. Long term implications of the pandemic will be discussed as well as ways we can continue supporting caregivers and families as we move forward past the pandemic.

Panelists

Dr. Vivian Lee, Ph.D.

Vivian Lee is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University. Her research focuses on the emotional and mental health of children and youth with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. Her work includes the investigation of child-, parent-, and system-level characteristics, and the relationship between these factors, that either support healthy emotional development or exacerbates difficulties in the child and for the family. She is also interested in the impact of these factors on overall parent and family wellbeing. Additionally, she has an interest in implementation science and program evaluations and working alongside community-based autism care providers and advocacy groups, she is investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as participation in psychosocial interventions, on the mental health and wellbeing of autistic youth and their caregivers.

Dr. Jonathan Weiss, Ph.D.

Dr. Weiss is a Professor in the Department of Psychology, and a Clinical Psychologist. He holds a Tier 2 York Research Chair in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disability Mental Health and is the Director of La Marsh Centre for Child & Youth Research. His research focuses on mental health in autistic people or people with intellectual disabilities across the lifespan. He conducts studies into how people with developmental disabilities access mental health care, and is interested in their service needs, use, and experiences. His work is also focused on understanding and supporting family wellness when at least one family member has a developmental disability. He is interested in program development and evaluation, and in particular on the impact of Special Olympics on the psychological well-being of participants, and of psychosocial interventions to promote resilience and improve the mental health of children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Dr. Janet McLaughlin, Ph.D.

Janet McLaughlin is an Associate Professor of Community Health and co-founder and co-director of the Laurier Autism Research Consortium (LARC) at Wilfrid Laurier University. After her son was diagnosed with autism in 2012, she developed an interest in the needs and experiences of caregivers, including how service access challenges influence their well-being. She has since led two major province-wide studies investigating these issues, the most recent of which was a partnership between LARC and Autism Ontario. The findings from this study, Families in Flux, explored access to autism services, education, and well-being in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. McLaughlin’s current research focuses on understanding the experiences of underserved communities, particularly Indigenous and newcomer families. She previously served on the Ontario Autism Program Advisory Panel.

Disclaimer: Opinions reflected in this webinar are those of the speaker(s) and presenter(s), and do not necessarily reflect Autism Ontario’s views. Please note Autism Ontario does not endorse any specific therapy, product, treatment, strategy, opinions, service, or individual. We do, however, endorse your right to information. Autism Ontario strongly believes that it is important to do your own research and make your own informed decisions.

In this interactive webinar, anya, and Stephanie will discuss gender identity and autism, and talk about ways to support your queer and gender-diverse autistic children.

Stephanie is a cis-gender social worker who has years of experience working with autistic youth, teens and adults, and their families.

anya is a non-binary person, consultant, and educator who has years of experience supporting queer and gender-diverse youth, adults, and families in the 2-SLGBTQIA+ community. anya brings a genuine and authentic voice to this discussion to further support families along their journey to understand and affirm their children.

Together, anya and Stephanie will provide you with the language and skills to help you build strategies for supporting, your children to live their authentic selves.  

This webinar is appropriate for parents and caregivers of autistic youth as well as professionals working with autistic youth.

Co-speaker: Stephanie Moeser, R.S.W, M.S.W 

Stephanie Moeser is a social worker living and working in Peterborough, ON. As a part time faculty at Fleming College, she teaches in the Mental Health and Addictions, Social Service Worker and Developmental Service Worker programs.  Originally from Toronto, a focus of Stephanie’s clinical work has been in supporting people with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their families. In her private practice Stephanie provides mental health supports addressing areas of relationships, wellness, and issues related to managing mental health challenges such as anxiety and mood disorders. She has a specialization in supporting autistic students attending post-secondary education, and girls, women and trans and non-binary people on the spectrum.  

Over the years Stephanie has presented on the topic of wellness and selfcare to parents/caregivers, people living with disabilities, mental health professionals and allied health professionals. This past month she has provided a series of webinars on this topic for Autism Ontario. She is passionate about the need to talk about feelings and to integrate active compassion into one own’s life, especially during this difficult time. 

Co-Speaker: anya gwynne

A second-generation settler living in Nogojiwanong, anya gwynne is a queer and non-binary, writer, parent and facilitator. Over the last 15 years, they have engaged service providers, educators, and the community to build welcoming spaces and improve services for 2S/LGBTQIA+ people, creating authentic opportunities for learning and connection.  anya has developed trauma-informed programming and facilitated diverse groups.  They are grateful for the opportunity to have worked across Turtle Island with youth and intergenerational communities, witnessing stories of resistance and change. 

Disclaimer: Opinions reflected in this webinar are those of the speaker(s) and presenter(s), and do not necessarily reflect Autism Ontario’s views. Please note Autism Ontario does not endorse any specific therapy, product, treatment, strategy, opinions, service, or individual. We do, however, endorse your right to information. Autism Ontario strongly believes that it is important to do your own research and make your own informed decisions. 

Jordan’s Principle is a child-first and needs-based requirement in Canada to ensure that First Nations children living on and off reserve have equitable access to all government funded public services. It highlights that First Nations children should have access to public services without delay or denial. 

This webinar will give you the basics of what it is, how to apply as well as who you can connect with for support navigating Jordan’s Principle in Ontario.

Speaker: Monica Hemeon

Monica is the Jordan’s Principle Coordinator for Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which serves 49 First Nations Communities in Northwestern Ontario. She has spent her career working with Indigenous people to improve their health outcomes and is now advocating for the children through Jordan’s Principle. She has a Critical Care, Diabetes, Wound Care and Administrators Certificate and is enrolled in the First Nations Health Managers Association Certification Course. She is a Registered Nurse from the Red Rock Indian Band and the mother of 2 boys.

The global pandemic has impacted every corner of society including how specialized behavioral services and supervision are delivered. Practitioners have had to pivot to delivering services remotely which has required innovation and patience of all involved. This webinar is geared towards practitioners providing behavior analytic services to clients and behavior analytic supervision to trainees. Guidelines for compassionate care during these unprecedented times will be discussed in addition to ideas for continuing to provide high quality supervision to trainees. Learning objectives:

1. Participants will become familiar with an overview of the literature and practice recommendations for delivery ABA services within a compassionate care framework

2. Participants will become familiar with innovative ways to continue to support behavior analytic supervisees during pandemic related restrictions

Additional sessions in this series:

1.  Employment & Human Resources Issues During COVID-19 with Natasha Danson

2. Legal and Professional Issues to Consider when Providing and Receiving Telehealth Services with Richard Steinecke

Presenters:

Kendra Thomson is an Associate Professor in Applied Disability Studies at Brock University, a Doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D), and a clinician-scientist in the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario. Kendra has almost 20 years of experience in various clinical and research settings supporting people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) across the lifespan. Kendra, her graduate students, and their community partners have published research in: Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Analysis: Research & Practice, and Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. She is currently the president of the Ontario Association of Behaviour Analysis, and past-co-chair of the professional regulation committee.

Nancy is the Executive Director and Founder of Breakthrough Autism. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Clinical Psychologist, she completed her Master of Arts in Psychology with a specialization in Behavior Analysis at the University of Nevada, Reno. She is currently working on her PhD in Behavior Analysis through Endicott College. Nancy has published research in the flagship Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) and has presented at both provincial and international conferences. Nancy is currently the president-elect of the Ontario Association of Behaviour Analysis. Based on her extensive expertise and clinical experience, Nancy was appointed to serve on the ASD-Clinical Expert Committee (CEC) for what was formerly known as the Ministry of Children and Youth Services.

This document captures the patterns and insights of housing through an autism lens. It describes why we gathered participants and partners from the autistic housing system in this Solutions Lab and what we did to explore the legislative, programmatic, and lived experience of autistic adults in housing.
We hope that you can use this document to inform your work in bettering housing for autistic adults and/or adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We intend to present the challenge of securing safe, suitable, and supportive housing for autistic adults and spark your curiosity into how we can develop solutions. We would also like to extend a sincere thank you to all the partners, participants and, in particular, the autistic advisors as well as the many people who contributed their stories. Without them, this project would not be possible.

Dr. Christie Welch has been researching Burnout, Inertia, Meltdowns, and Shutdown (BIMS) from the perspectives of autistic children, youth, and adults. In this webinar, Dr. Welch will share her research findings including how her autistic co-researchers describe and experience BIMS and what they found helpful. We will also discuss the importance of including the lived autistic experience by using terms that come from the autistic community when refining the definition of BIMS. Finally, we'll explore the BIMS self-management tools that Dr. Welch's research team has under development.

This webinar is appropriate for autistic youth, adults, and their families as well as professionals working with this population. For more information on this topic, please see the additional resources attached below.

Speaker: Dr. Christie Welch

Christie Welch Ph.D., OT Reg. (Ont.) is a registered Occupational Therapist who has been practicing since 2001. She completed a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Toronto and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Bloorview Research Institute. Christie is passionate about building a new understanding of autism that is based on the perspectives of people who identify as autistic. Her research focuses on experiences identified as important by autistic people; specifically, burnout, inertia, meltdown, and shutdown. She is currently an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream at the University of Toronto. 

Disclaimer: Opinions reflected in this webinar are those of the speaker(s) and presenter(s), and do not necessarily reflect Autism Ontario’s views. Please note Autism Ontario does not endorse any specific therapy, product, treatment, strategy, opinions, service, or individual. We do, however, endorse your right to information. Autism Ontario strongly believes that it is important to do your own research and make your own informed decisions. 

Learning to use the toilet and other associated skills (e.g., self-care routines, staying dry throughout the night) can be a huge milestone for an individual and their family.

This webinar mini-series is intended to support parents and caregivers of individuals with autism who are interested in learning more about toileting and the various skills it entails, when it might be time to focus on a particular skill, who can help you with various goals, and common strategies that are used to support each toileting skill area.

Part 4- Bedwetting and Challenging Behaviours Related to Toileting

The final webinar in this series will discuss bedwetting and challenging behaviours related to toileting. We will review when to seek support, who can help, and potential reasons for these behaviours.

Additional sessions in this series:

Part 1- What to Consider Before and Throughout Your Toileting Journey

Part 2- Toileting Schedules and Self-Care Routines 

Part 3- Daytime Toilet Training

Speaker Information:

Bethany Brewin M.Sc.O.T.

Bethany is an experienced occupational therapist living in Simcoe County. She attended the University of Toronto for her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. She has worked with children, youth, and families across Canada, as well as providing consultation services to childcare settings, schools, and community organizations. Bethany has presented on a variety of topics over the years, from fine motor skills to the impact of screen time on early childhood development. She is particularly passionate about connecting with the world around us through mindfulness: engaging our senses to connect with our surroundings. Bethany is part of Autism Ontario’s "Subject Matter Expert" team.

Kristin Gunby, M.S., BCBA, Behaviour Analyst 

Kristin is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) with over twenty years of experience supporting individuals with Autism and their families. Kristin completed her Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics at Brock University and her Master of Science in Behaviour Analysis from St. Cloud State University. Kristin has worked both privately and publicly as a clinician throughout various iterations of the Ontario Autism Program. She has also worked as an Applied Behavior Analysis Facilitator for a public-school board in Ontario. She has published studies in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavioral Interventions in the areas of safety skills, joint attention, and teaching presentations. Kristin is part of Autism Ontario’s newly formed “Subject Matter Expert” Team. 

Disclaimer: Opinions reflected in this webinar are those of the speaker(s) and presenter(s), and do not necessarily reflect Autism Ontario’s views. Please note Autism Ontario does not endorse any specific therapy, product, treatment, strategy, opinions, service, or individual. We do, however, endorse your right to information. Autism Ontario strongly believes that it is important to do your own research and make your own informed decisions.

Recognizing the early signs of autism is an important step along the pathway to diagnosis to ensure children have access to supports and services and that parents' concerns and questions are addressed.

We have learned a lot about the earliest features of autism, in part from the experiences of parents and, more recently, from research involving younger siblings, who are at increased likelihood of the diagnosis themselves. Despite growing knowledge of the earliest signs of autism, the average age of diagnosis has barely decreased as families face long waits to access assessments. Can we do better?

In this webinar, we will discuss strategies supporting more timely access to diagnostic assessment through training and collaboration with community physicians and other professionals. Finally, we will share ideas about how families can be supported through this process, including the involvement of experienced parents in navigation and other important roles.  

Speaker: Dr. Lonnie Zwaigenbaum

Dr. Zwaigenbaum is a developmental pediatrician and Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta, supported by the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation Chair in Autism. He is also the Edmonton Zone Clinical Department Head for Child Health, Alberta Health Services. His current research focuses on early features of autism, as well as improving diagnosis and health care related to autism. He recently chaired the oversight panel of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences Autism Assessment requested by the federal government to guide the national autism policy strategy. In his clinical roles at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, he has co-led community training on autism diagnosis and ongoing pediatric care.

Disclaimer: Opinions reflected in this webinar are those of the speaker(s) and presenter(s), and do not necessarily reflect Autism Ontario’s views. Please note Autism Ontario does not endorse any specific therapy, product, treatment, strategy, opinions, service, or individual. We do, however, endorse your right to information. Autism Ontario strongly believes that it is important to do your own research and make your own informed decisions

Join Daniel Roth for a discussion about the health risks facing individuals with developmental disabilities, why exercise should be a priority, and how to overcome the barriers to accessing and participating in healthy activities. Learn what makes for a successful exercise program and simple strategies to help get your family moving this summer. 

Daniel Roth is a personal trainer, strength and conditioning specialist, and behaviour therapist. He has been working with adults and youth with special needs and developmental disabilities for the past 10 years. He is the owner and director of Level Up Fitness Academy which specializes in creating fitness programs for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders often experience bullying at school, and it is important that parents and professionals work together to address this problem.

This webinar reviews ways of supporting youth who are experiencing bullying to increase their coping skills and to help stop the problem from happening in the future. Effective interventions require knowledge and a team approach, and the current workshop discusses what children can do, and what adults can do, to make everyone feel more safe.

Presenter:

Dr. Jonathan Weiss, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at York University and Clinical Psychologist. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and University of Toronto, Dept. of Psychiatry, and held the federal Chair in Autism Spectrum Disorders Treatment and Care Research. He currently holds a York Research Chair in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disability Mental Health. His research focuses on the prevention and treatment of mental health problems in people with autism or intellectual disabilities across the lifespan. He conducts studies into how people with developmental disabilities access mental health care, and is interested in their health service needs, their emergency service use, and their experiences of psychiatric crisis.

Even though we have known about autism for several decades, it is still common for older youth or adults to come to the attention of clinicians while seeking assessment for a possible Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Below are some of the most common questions from parents of youth or adults, or from the adults themselves, when seeking an ASD diagnosis.