Recognizing the Signs of Victimization in Children with ASD
This Webinar will examine the concept of traumatic stress as it relates to children and adolescents who had Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This webinar is meant to be a second part to Dr. Wesley Dotson’s discussion on ASD. As a result, the focus will not be on ASD but on ASD and trauma. The webinar will start with the basics of trauma-informed care for children and adolescents, as well as how trauma and stress responses affect your neurology (as well as how to regulate this response more efficiently). We will then move to concrete tools and resources for working with children and adolescents with both ASD and trauma exposure such as the Road to Recovery training series from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN).
Specific, concrete tools the viewer will be able to take with them at the end of this webinar are:
- How traumatic stress affects an individual’s neurology in the moment of crisis and how “pull a person out of their neurology” to help with de-escalation.
- How YOUR neurology tries to drag you to a less effective response pattern during a crisis situation and how to reverse that effect.
- Specific resources for learning more about trauma and children with ASD (e.g., the NCTSN).
- Specific ways that ASD symptoms and trauma symptoms can be confused (e.g., odd eye contact or not answering your questions) and why this matters for your job.
PRESENTER: Dr. Michael Gomez is currently Assistant Professor at the Center for Superheroes at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Department of Pediatrics and Adjunct Professor at Texas Tech University Psychological Sciences, where he is committed to the dissemination of evidence-based practices in psychology.
He was previously faculty at the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect/Child Study Center Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the OU Health and Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. He specializes in Trauma-Focused CBT, treatment of adolescents with problematic sexual behaviors (PSB), parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), and assessment of autism spectrum disorders. He is a Nationally Certified TF-CBT Trainer, of which he is one of 70 in the world. Additionally, he is a Nationally Certified CE-CERT Trainer, a model for addressing vicarious trauma in providers. He is trained in assessment and diagnostics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He is one of the three national co-chairs for the National Child Traumatic Stress Networks (NCTSN) Trauma and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Workgroup, as well as a member of the NCTSN Steering Committee and NCTSN Youth Task Force.
This is the second of a 4 part series, including:
- November 14: Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Characteristic Behaviors, Challenges, and Tips for Successful Interactions for Justice Professionals
- January 8: Wandering and Elopement in Children with ASD and NCMEC Resources
- February: Case Studies for Law Enforcement