Bhanu Raghavan, MS, OTR/L & Ginger McDonald, OTR/L
Therapro Authors
Sometimes OTs only consider conferences aimed at OTs for their CEUs, but there are other (and sometimes cheaper) ways to get your CEUS, and learn something new and different at the same time. In November 2018 we were invited to participate in OCALICON, the annual conference in Columbus OH, sponsored by OCALI (Ohio Center for Autism & Low Incidence). OCALI is a wonderful organization whose mission is to inspire change and promote access to opportunities for people with disabilities. OCALICON is directed towards parents, physicians, educators, therapists, administrators and other professionals working with children and young adults with disabilities especially autism. The conference is a dynamic and inspiring milieu that attracts attendees from all over the United States and even the world.
We had the pleasure of meeting this year’s keynote speaker- Christopher Gillberg, MD, PhD of the Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre at the Sahlgrenska Academy. Dr. Gillburg holds professorships at universities and hospitals in Sweden, Japan, the United Kingdom and Paris. His keynote speech was highly compelling.
Dr. Gillberg’s address was titled AUTISM AND ESSENCE, NEURODIVERSITY AND AUTISM: THE ESSENCE OF ESSENCE. ESSENCE is an acronym coined by Dr. Gillberg that stands for Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examination. The ESSENCE diagnoses include the ADHDs, Language Impairment Disorder, Developmental Coordination Disorder, Intellectual Disability, Autism/ASD, Tic Disorders/OCD, Selective Mutism and Reactive Attachment Disorder. Dr. Gillberg maintains that autism always coexists with one or more of the ESSENSE conditions. His major point is that pediatric practitioners should screen for these comorbidities early on or they may be missed. Dr. Gillberg asserted that correct diagnosis followed with early intervention leads to success. Lack of intervention results in negative outcomes including academic failure, social exclusion, substance use, psychiatric disorders, empathy problems, antisocial lifestyle and criminality later in life.
We were pleased to have 150+ people attend our presentation on Self-Care with Flair! Our audience consisted of educators, parents, social workers and OT/PT/SLP. The session was well received. We especially appreciated the parents who shared their children’s self-care challenges & successes with the group.
One of our favorite sessions was called Strategy Smackdown. This was a total audience participation session, where attendees shared their favorite resources/strategies/evidence. A summary was shared with all participants. OCALICON was a marvelously inclusive, collaborative experience that school-based practitioners could consider for CEUs from a different than the usual perspective.
Bhanu Raghavan, MS, OTR/L
A graduate of Indiana University and The Ohio State University, Bhanu has over 25 years of experience in pediatrics. She is certified in pediatric NDT and the READY Approach (Bonnie Hanschu) for Sensory Integration Disorders. Frequently, she presents workshops on topics related to self-care independence, sensory processing disorders and fine motor/handwriting skill development to therapists, teachers and parents/caregivers. She works at Centerville City schools, OH. She is a firm believer of the following Confucian principle: “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.”
Ginger McDonald, OTR/L
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Ginger has practiced Occupational Therapy for over 30 years. She is certified in SCSIT. With an eclectic background of working in hospitals, schools and geriatric settings, Ginger believes in promoting self-care independence at all levels. While working with Bhanu in the Centerville City Schools, they conceived the idea for Self-Care with Flair!
Allyson is an occupational therapist with a diverse background in both sensory integration and school based practice. She currently works in a school for children and young adults who have significant medical, mental health, and cognitive needs.