Brief Biography

Naima Bond, M.Ed., is a Community Interventionist at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, GA. Naima received her B.S. degree in Human Services at Springfield College. She received her Master's at Grand Canyon University in the area of Special Eduction. She has 20 years experience working with children and families and the last ten years dedicatied to children and families with special needs. Naima has worked for fderally funded programs as a Disability Coordinator for young children. At the Marcus Autism Center she is a plygroup leader and a coach for Inclusion Specialists and Early Intervnetion Providers in the state of Georgia. She is an approved trainer in the area od social emotional development and can train on the beginning, intermediate and advanced.

Erica Chapman, Ed.D is Community Interventionist 2 at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, Ga. Erica Received her Bachlors degree in Psychology at Auburn University where she gained clinical experience working with children with social emotional delays at the local Head Start and children with autism at the Auburn Autism Clinic. She completed her Master's in counseing psychology at Troy University and her doctorate in counseling psychology at Argosy's School of Professional Psychology. She has over 10 years experience in the community mental health field and 8 years of experience in the Florida's public schools in the capscity of a special education teacher for toddlers and preachoolers, a Theraputic Family Specialist, and as a district level trainer on the Pyramid Model and other evidence-based interventions. Erica has worked with children and families in the homes, schools, and clinical settings. She is passionate about helping children with autism and other related developmental delays. She is particularly interested in research on cost effective, community viable early ineterventions for this population.

Highest Degree of Presenter(s)

Naima Bond (M.Ed. in Special Education)

Erica Chapman (Ed.D in Counseling Psychology)

Presentation Abstract

Early Identification and Screening of Infants and Toddlers with Autism and Related Disorders

Parents and childcare providers are in a unique position to increase early identification and screening of infants and toddlers. Caregivers and early childhood educators are usually the first to observe developmental differences in children. Because early intervention can have dramatic impacts on later outcomes, it is imperative to increase the awareness of early red flags and the ability to identify developmental concerns in infants and toddlers before they reach preschool age. Research in the field of Autism and related disorders recommends that early intervention is key to changing the developmental trajectory of children with autism and developmental delays. As professionals working with infants and toddlers, our goal is for all children to have positive supports in order to increase their developmental potential. Because caregivers and early childcare providers are on the front line in regards to daily interactions with infants and toddlers, it is vital to empower them with tools to identify, screen, and implement positive supports for children who might be at risk for developmental deficits and autism. This would include understanding infant/toddler developmental milestones, identifying early signs of developmental delays including Autism Spectrum Disorders, learning about basic developmental screeners, and coaching on parent/caregiver-implemented positive supports. We will also discuss current initiatives that Marcus Autism Center has in place to increase positive supports and evidence-based early intervention strategies in the home and childcare setting.

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Early Identification and Screening of Infants and Toddlers with Autism and Related Disorders

Early Identification and Screening of Infants and Toddlers with Autism and Related Disorders

Parents and childcare providers are in a unique position to increase early identification and screening of infants and toddlers. Caregivers and early childhood educators are usually the first to observe developmental differences in children. Because early intervention can have dramatic impacts on later outcomes, it is imperative to increase the awareness of early red flags and the ability to identify developmental concerns in infants and toddlers before they reach preschool age. Research in the field of Autism and related disorders recommends that early intervention is key to changing the developmental trajectory of children with autism and developmental delays. As professionals working with infants and toddlers, our goal is for all children to have positive supports in order to increase their developmental potential. Because caregivers and early childcare providers are on the front line in regards to daily interactions with infants and toddlers, it is vital to empower them with tools to identify, screen, and implement positive supports for children who might be at risk for developmental deficits and autism. This would include understanding infant/toddler developmental milestones, identifying early signs of developmental delays including Autism Spectrum Disorders, learning about basic developmental screeners, and coaching on parent/caregiver-implemented positive supports. We will also discuss current initiatives that Marcus Autism Center has in place to increase positive supports and evidence-based early intervention strategies in the home and childcare setting.