WA1: Teaming with Families and Professionals: Working to Support the Needs of Children with Developmental Disabilities,
presented by Karen Nelson, Karen Nelson, with Kaylee Richmond, Boost Collaborative, Lyndsee Vargas, Boost Collaborative Children & Family Support Service
The intention of this session will be to discuss evidence-based strategies and how to apply them in an early intervention teaming approach to support the best outcomes for children birth to three with developmental disabilities or delays. Professionals and parents will expand their knowledge of working as a team to support young children.
Age Group Addressed: Birth to Age 3
Who Should Attend: All, Parents, Foster Parents, Relative Care Givers, Teachers, Administrators, Therapists, Healthcare Staff, Home Visitors, Family Resources Coordinators, Interested Professionals, Students, Trainers, Adult Educators
Learning Objectives:
Participants will gain resources about teaming using evidence-based approaches in practical settings.
Participants will be able to reflect on what they are already doing as a team and set a goal or goals on how to improve their teaming skills.
Participates will have increased knowledge about practical teaming approaches they can use to support young children and families with disabilities or developmental delays.
This is an Intermediate session. some information or knowledge about early intervention services.
WA3: Toward Earlier Identification and Strengths-Based Intervention for Infants and Toddlers with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure,
presented by Misty Pruner (bio)
Misty Pruner, Ph.D., OTR/L is a postdoctoral fellow at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute and a recent graduate from the Rehabilitation Science PhD program at the University of Washington. Inspired by her front-line work as a pediatric occupational therapist for over 13 years, her dissertation research focused on the earlier identification and strengths-based intervention of infants and toddlers with prenatal alcohol exposure. Dr. Pruner has a special interest in clinical research and program development that promotes nurturing parent-child relationships and optimizes neurodevelopmental outcomes in the long term.
, Seattle Children's Research Institute
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can disrupt children’s neurodevelopment and exert lasting influences on overall child well-being and family functioning. The purpose of this presentation is to describe the early developmental outcomes of infants and toddlers with PAE based on 10 years of retrospective clinical data (i.e., standardized assessment data and caregiver report). Although there is extensive research on school-age children and youth, there is a limited body of research describing the developmental delays, sensory processing differences and emotional and behavioral challenges among infants and toddlers with PAE. In addition, little research has focused on the positive attributes and strengths of these very young children, which can buffer against developmental vulnerability and potential risk factors in this population.
Age Group Addressed: Birth to Age 3
Who Should Attend: All
Learning Objectives:
Participants will learn about the prevalence and patterns of neurodevelopment, sensory processing, and emotional and behavioral functioning in very young children with PAE.
Participants will learn about caregivers’ most frequently reported concerns and strengths at the time of their child’s FASD diagnostic evaluation.
Participants will be introduced to a relationship-based early intervention for infants and toddlers with PAE that is currently under development – the Families Moving Forward Bridges Program.
WA2: Three Steps to Resilience,
presented by Betty Peralta (bio)
Betty Peralta, MIT, MSc, IMH-E (III) taught in K-12 schools for 14 years in Seattle, The Dominican Republic, Kuwait, and Tanzania and became an infant and childhood mental health specialist in 2014. She now works as a parent coach for Broadview shelter and dependency court; reflective consultant for home-visitors and their supervisors; and trainer & consultant in her practice, ALTA: Alternative Learning and Therapeutic Avenues, where she works with individuals and organizations seeking relationship help with children. Betty is endorsed by the Washington State Infant Mental Health Association and is a faculty advisor for the NeuroRelational Framework Institute.
, Alta: Alternative Learning & Therapeutic Avenues
This NeuroRelational Framework 101 will help you familiarize yourself with the three steps of moving a child who has experienced trauma from struggling to resilient. The NRF is not a new adaption; it is a framework that holds tools you can use in conjunction with any program you use. In this 3-hour workshop, we will discuss how developmental trauma affects learning, and then delve into the NRF’s three steps: (1) how to recognize threat responses in children, (2) how to help their brains sense safety before challenging them, and (3) how to address all four levels of brain development needs in order to lessen their stress and increase their ability to learn and thrive.
WP1: Engaging with and Supporting Fathers,
presented by Louis Mendoza (bio)
Louis spent the early part of his career as a corporate trainer and then spent 10 years as a stay-at-home dad. He returned to the workplace as a paraeducator in a special needs classroom before working at United Way managing a program called Project LEAD, which trains people of color to serve on the boards of non-profits. He currently directs the WA State Fathers Network, working to support men who have a child in their life with a disability. He has served on multiple boards and currently serves on several advisory and steering committees.
, WA State Fathers Network, with Nelson Rascon, DadsMOVE
An issue faced by many organizations that provide services and support to families is, how to engage fathers. In this workshop we'll present documentation and first hand knowledge to engage the audience in a discussion of how to address this issue. This workshop is directed toward service providers but the presenters welcome the attendance and perspective of parents.
Age Group Addressed: Adults
Who Should Attend: All
Learning Objectives:
The Importance Of And How To Be Welcoming of Fathers
WP2: CVI Schedule: Supporting the Young Child with Cortical Visual Impairment with a Routines Based Approach,
presented by DeEtte Snyder (bio)
DeEtte is the Associate Director of Outreach, Birth to 5,at the Washington State School for the Blind. She has her PhD in Special Education from University of Northern Colorado and is a certifed teacher of the blind and early childhood. For 30 years she has worked with blind children aged birth to 5, and their families, both as an educator and a program administrator. She is an adjunct faculty member of Portland State University and the University of Northern Colorado where she teaches and mentors pre-service candidates in the field of education for the blind.
, Washington State School for the Blind, with Emma Packard (bio)
Emma Packard has worked with people with low incidence disabilities in the classroom and residential setting for 24 years. She received a B.A. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Western Oregon University, a M.Ed. in Low Incidence Disabilities from the University of Washington, and a M.A. in Teaching Students with Low Vision/Blindness from the University of Northern Colorado. Emma currently works as an orientation and mobility specialist, teaches students with low vision/blindness, and is consultant for Washington Sensory Disability Services DeafBlind Program.
, None
Brain-based visual impairment, also known as cerebral/cortical visual impairment or CVI, is the most common form of childhood blindness. Research in the field of blindness and low vision (BLV) has indicated that as much as 35% of all children with BLV have a neurologic or brain based BLV rather than an ocular impairment. The eyes see, but the brain is what interprets and learns from visual information. Therefore, the partnership between the eyes and brain are critically important to an effective visual system. CVI is sometimes misunderstood by parents, teachers, and other related service providers because while the eyes may be healthy, the child does not use their vision as expected and may appear blind. Also, eye care professionals, such ophthalmologists and optometrist may not understand the nature of diagnosed neurological medical conditions or risks associated with CVI and may hesitant to diagnosis a neurologic visual impairment when vision is not impacted by an ocular condition. Vision is the primary sensory mode to learning. A long history of research related to vision and learning has established that up to 85% of what a child learns in the first 3 years of life is through vision. Babies use vision to observe, model/imitate, and connect to their primary caregivers, for instance. Also, babies learn to crawl and move towards people and objects they see and want to obtain. When visual access is limited the potential to impact all areas of development is great. Typically, with ocular blindness or low vision, strategies to utilize other sensory modalities is the focus, in addition to visual accommodations. However, for CVI, unlike ocular-based impacts, the potential for improvement in visual functioning, through brain plasticity at a young age, when given appropriate supports and interventions, is also great. Therefore, it is dependent on the early childhood community to help identify when a child is not using their vision as expected, have medical or neurologic risk factors, and exhibit the presence of CVI characteristics. The identification of CVI is critical to receive appropriate early support from teachers of the visually impaired (TVI) to capitalize on brain plasticity. Even before a confirmed diagnosis, the goal is to provide the necessary visual supports to assist in visual functioning and overall learning within the natural routines of the child and family. Often children with CVI have additional special needs, which complicate their learning challenges but also highlight the critical need for visual intervention and support. TVI’s are available to provide direct services, however other service providers and families can also capitalize on brain plasticity and improve visual functioning by providing the visual supports throughout the day. Teaming practices are key for effective implementation and progress. This workshop will provide an overall view of CVI including the neurologic conditions that increase the risk for CVI and the visual behaviors associated with this visual impairment. Specifically, participants will explore the use of routine-based learning strategy called “a CVI schedule”, that provides access to visual information through accommodations during daily activities, which are determined by each caregiver and supported by the IFSP or IEP team including the TVI and other important service providers. This routine based approach is a promising practice that is a critical component of family centered practices and is appropriate for use with all families across the continuum of racial, cultural, and economic diversity.
Age Group Addressed: Birth to Age 3, Birth through Age 5
Who Should Attend: Parents, Foster Parents, Relative Care Givers, Teachers, Therapists, Home Visitors, Family Resources Coordinators, Students
Learning Objectives:
1.Identify 3 leading causes or risk factors of neurologic or cortical visual impairment.
2. Describe the role of vision on early learning and the potential impact on other developmental domains when visual access is limited.
3. Describe the potential improvement of overall visual functioning given visual support through daily routines.
4. Utilize a CVI schedule in collaboration with a child’s family and teacher of the visually impaired to provide environmental accommodations for visual access in learning during routine daily activities.
WE1: Achieving a Better Life Experience through Financial Support Programs,
presented by Peter Tassoni (bio)
Peter Tassoni has been the ABLE plan administrator - Achieving a Better Life Experience - since inception in 2016. He also administers a special needs trust program – DDETF – developmental disabilities endowment trust fund. Peter has a son with a developmental disability.
Trust Manager of the DDETF with nearly a decade of work on the program.
, Arc Washington State
Provide an overview of the Achieving a Better Life Experience 529A savings plan and the special needs trust Developmental Disabilities Endowment Trust Fund available for people with disabilities. These plans allow folks to save beyond the $2,000 limit required by benefit programs. Many families enroll their youngsters into the program to start saving for future expenses related to the child's disability. These plans become vital during the high school transition years as the child moves into adulthood. We will share the nuts and bolts about the two plans in a compare and contrast format, show some statistics on enrollees and their saving / spending behaviors and finally talk a bit about estate planning trends related to plan participants.
Age Group Addressed: All age groups
Who Should Attend: Healthcare Staff, Family Resources Coordinators, Interested Professionals, Students, Trainers, Adult Educators, Parents, Foster Parents, Relative Care Givers, Teachers
Learning Objectives:
Overview of ABLE and DDETF as financial instruments to preserve disability benefits while increase wealth
Share statistics on enrollees and their saving / spending behavior
Provide resources on financial literacy and these saving plans in particular
WE2: Supporting Language Development for Children of All Abilities,
presented by Michelle Duhon, Northwest Center Kids, IMPACT, with Erica Yuen (bio)
Erica was born and raised in California. She attended Stanford University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Human Biology and Spanish. After graduating, Erica began her career in early education working as an in-home therapist for children with autism. She later moved to Washington to pursue her master’s degree in Special Education at the University of Washington. Since completing her master’s degree, Erica has had the opportunity develop programs to support learners of all ages in home, clinic, and school-based settings. Erica joined the IMPACT team in January 2020 and has enjoyed working with early learning community!
, Northwest Center
In this session, we will explore the typical language development milestones for children from infancy through 5 years old. We will identify possible delays and challenges that some children may experience as they develop these skills. Additionally, we will offer classroom strategies to support language development, and ways to partner with families to address possible concerns.
Age Group Addressed: Birth through Age 5
Who Should Attend: All
Learning Objectives:
Define Language Development Terms –
We will explore the differences between; language skills/communication skills, receptive/expressive language, and nonverbal/non-vocal/nonspeaking.
Review Early Language Developmental Milestones –
We will examine the typical developmental language milestones for children from birth-five.
Explore Types of Language Delays –
In this section we will briefly identify possible language delays (with an understanding that we are not physicians or licensed specialists who can diagnose language delays).
Partnering with Families –
If a concern arises about a child’s language development, how should teachers share it with the family? We will discuss ways to partner closely with families to share concerns and resources they can access for further information.
Strategies for Supporting Language Development –
We will share multiple strategies for supporting overall language development. These are universal strategies which will support an entire classroom as they grow these skills.
