Keri Bowers is a mother, advocate, filmmaker, artist, and internationally recognized speaker in autism and special needs. For over 19 years, she has blazed trails and opened doors for both her son Taylor, who is now 19, and for thousands of families around the world. Based on experience, Keri has found one principle theme contributes to improved advocacy and outcomes, and that is: how polished we are in our personal and interpersonal communication skills.

Keri’s talk will provide participants with “power tools” and creative strategies for strengthening skills in communication and collaborations to improve outcomes in advocacy. Whether in an IEP or other planning meeting, working with schools, teachers, administrators, and others to build strong teams of support, to how we communicate with our children, Keri will share her ABC’s of effective communication; ideas for futures planning, and how a more creative YOU can play an essential role in your child’s future.

Keri’s films include Normal People Scare Me, a film about autism, The Sandwich Kid, a film about siblings and disabilities, and ARTS, a film about possibilities, disabilities & the arts. Her workbook “Mapping Transitions to Your Child’s Future is a cornerstone of her talk in this session. At 19, Taylor lives in an independent living program in Southern California – she’ll share how her strategies worked to get him into this great program!

Early intervention is imperative in the treatment of children with autism for the best possible outcome.

Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh has the most comprehensive approach to the treatment of these children worldwide through the CARD system of ABA which is the process of systematically applying interventions based upon the principles of learning theory to improve socially significant behaviors to a meaningful degree. Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh will discuss the details of this systematic approach to the assessment and evaluation of behavior, and the application of interventions that alter behavior.

ABA is the most objective discipline focused on the reliable measurement and objective evaluation of observable behavior to this date. Programs based upon ABA methodologies are grounded in the well-established principles of learning and operant conditioning, as influenced by the works of researchers such as Edward L. Thorndike and B.F. Skinner. The use of single case experimental design to evaluate the effectiveness of individualized interventions is an essential component of ABA programs.

ABA generally focuses on the process of behavior change with respect to the development of adaptive, prosocial behavior and the reduction of maladaptive behavior. Specific "socially significant behaviors" include academics, communication, social skills and adaptive living skills.

A practical presentation for people with autism, their families, friends, educators and community. Learn to examine behavioral cues and patterns, utilize behavioral management strategies, manage outbursts and cope with anxieties and frustrations. This presentation will be full of tips and parental advice, ABA and suggestions based on research and experience. We will develop plans for:

The incidence of autism has been increasing at alarming rates in recent years. Effective therapies designed to address underlying factors contributing to this disorder will be discussed, with practical advice on implementing them for children.

An overview of the most common issues will be presented including nutritional deficiencies, food sensitivities, mitochondrial dysfunction, gastrointestinal disorders, and environmental toxicity. Evidence-based treatment protocols, dietary modification, nutritional supplementation, and the role of comprehensive testing will be emphasized. The presentation will be supported with actual case studies of autistic children undergoing therapies and the results of treatment.

This workshop is presented by Elaine Hall, featured as “Coach E” in the HBO award-winning documentary, Autism: The Musical.

This workshop will include:

Shannon Kenitz knows firsthand the heartbreak and struggles of having a child with a disability. Her youngest daughter, Grace, was diagnosed with a very rare mitochondrial disorder that kept her in the hospital virtually for the first three years of her life. Grace more recently has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Hear from a mother, Shannon, who did not accept the recommendation to cease life-prolonging measures. And because of that, Grace progressed to feed herself, recover from blindness, and at almost 7-years old, walk for the first time on January 20, 2006. Shannon was a guest on The Montel Williams Show in 2006 and has a book and movie forthcoming.

Autism has many causes, and most cases seem to be the result of highly complex interactions between genes and the environment, both prenatally and in early infancy. Kirby will discuss recent scientific research linking the onset of regressive ASD to things such as complex seizure disorders, demyelinating diseases, heavy metal exposure and mitochondrial dysfunction. He will show how they can produce symptoms commonly found in autism, including oxidative stress, neuro-inflammation, activation of the brain’s immune cells, cytokine imbalances and glutathione depletion.

Unsure if you should consider biomedical approaches in treating autism? Are you confused about where and how to get started? Lori’s presentation is designed for those new to the biomedical approach and for those seeking an easy to understand overview of some of the most important biomedical treatments. She will include an overview of the most important treatments including dietary intervention, yeast treatments, nutritional supplements, detoxification, and other alternative treatments that helped contribute to her son’s recovery. This is a practical and parent friendly presentation that will inspire and give you hope. Share in Daniel’s progress through his mother’s account, pictures and video segments.

Nutritional supplement therapy has become an integral component of biomedical treatments for autism. Defeat Autism Now physicians are asking parents to give their children 6-20 different supplements each day. Why is this necessary? How do you know what is best for each child? What is the best approach for starting nutritional supplementation? Lori Knowles, Director of New Beginnings Nutritionals addresses these questions while discussing the most important aspects of nutritional intervention in autism.

Part I: Nourishing Hope: Food Matters for Autism

Julie will explain the science behind diet and nutrition for autism and give an overview of the most effective ASD diet options including GFCF, SCD, Body Ecology, Feingold, low oxalate, and more. She’ll discuss the foundations of a healthy diet, which foods and ingredients to avoid, nourishing foods to add, making changes that work for the whole family, and strategies for adults and picky eaters.

Part II: Cooking To Heal: Effective Autism Diet Implementation

Julie will explain how to effectively implement an “autism diet,” focusing on the GFCF diet and including common meal ideas and substitutions for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and others. She will provide food and meal ideas that are nutrient dense and picky-eater friendly. You’ll learn time saving tips, get meal ideas, and receive kid-friendly recipes for implementing the GFCF diet, and experienced families will learn how to make even further progress with diet

Learning objectives:

Professionals will:

The talk covers Dr. William Shaw’s perspective on the metabolic causes of autism and developmental disorders. Genetic variations of the immune system, inborn errors of metabolism, or adverse reactions to immunizations lead to recurrent infections that are commonly treated with antibiotics.

Learning Objectives:

1. Find out about the newest biomedical research developments.
2. Treat 'inborn errors of metabolism'
3. Learn about leaky gut syndrome.
4. Treat food allergies using special dietary interventions including eliminating wheat and dairy.
5. Find out why heavy metals play a role in autism and developmental disorders.
6. Learn why the level of cholesterol is important for brain function.

Presentation 2) Promising New Insights, Therapies, and Tests for Autism and PDD

Many new technologies have revealed significant new factors as causes of autistic spectrum disorders including genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, disciplines involved in mass screening of genes, proteins, and metabolic processes in humans. These technologies have already lead to significant new therapeutic trials for autistic spectrum disorders.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn about common genetic variations called SNPs present in autism and how these variations make the individual more susceptible to exposure to toxic chemicals and nutritional deficiencies.
2. Understand the role of a wide range of toxic chemicals in inducing autism and how to reduce exposures and how to detoxify the chemicals that are in the body.
3. Learn why cholesterol is an essential nutrient necessary for growth, development, and normal behavior.
4. Understand the evidence for abnormal cholesterol production and/or transport in different types of autism and treatments that are currently available.

Jerry will present on the topic, “We Will Outlive You,” focusing on the fact that most people with any kind of autism will outlive their parents and other people prominent in their early support community.

Jerry Newport is an internationally known author, advocate and person with Asperger syndrome and is married to a Mary, who also has Asperger syndrome. Both Jerry and Mary are also savants and were featured twice on “Sixty Minutes,“ the second time after a movie they inspired, “Mozart and The Whale.”

Everyone knows about “Chicken Soup for the Soul”, books filled with heart-warming stories that capture the essence of human beings being human. Since the cave man days, people have shared their life stories around the campfire. Stories are what connect us at the heart level and pass from generation to generation. “Chicken Soup for the Soul” is also one of the most well recognized and best-selling book series on the planet and has become ingrained in our hearts like stories from the bible.

Fundamental basic medical sciences will be introduced and explained. This will include teaching some detailed biology (including cell biology), immunology and biochemistry, in order to provide parents and practitioners with a strong scientific foundation for understanding some of the exciting research that is unraveling in the field of autism research today. Some of the topics that will be discussed include digestion, digestion disorders, opioid-like peptides, yeast and bacterial overgrowth, immune system regulation, immune system dysregulation and dysfunction, antibodies and autoantibodies, oxidative stress, liver function, methylation, and transsulfuration and how these topics relate to some of the latest biomedical research developments for the treatment of autism.

This presentation will examine the process of behavior analysis for teachers that have students with autism spectrum in general education classes. This setting poses challenges that must be considered in light of this disability, zero tolerance and student needs. Too often, inconsistent behavior plans leave students and teachers confused as to why behaviors return. This lecture will identify the key components for analyzing the inappropriate behaviors and identify ways to improve student performance, increasing the likelihood for inclusion.