Early intervention is key to reducing aggressive, disruptive, and extreme behaviors

The newest and fastest growing area of mental health treatment today is infant and toddler mental health. From 1990 to 1995, the number of preschool-age children receiving psychopharmacological treatment tripled and the numbers are still growing. Young children are presenting with severe behaviors and emotional disturbances that significantly impact their social-emotional development, school readiness, and long-term mental health. Families, schools, and state-funded childcare systems are seeking mental health consultation and intervention at unprecedented rates. In fact, pre-K students are three times more likely to be expelled than K-12 students. Unfortunately, very few mental health providers are sufficiently trained to treat this special population, and the economic and social ramifications of this epidemic are long-lasting and can be devastating.

The good news is that children at this age are very resilient; therefore, effective, early interventions can have more profound and long-lasting results than with any other age group. This comprehensive, interactive workshop focuses on understanding the factors affecting infant and toddler mental health, including physical co-morbid conditions, developmental concerns, family interaction and buy-in, systems communication, advocating for multi-system support, and resources to supplement treatment. Specific attention to diagnosing and working with families, as well as health care and school professionals, is an aspect of this workshop. Participants will leave with practical tools to use with their youngest clients in the clinic or at school the following day!

Course Content

INTRODUCTION: WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH MY PRACTICE?

•           How to market to include this population in your referral sources

•           How to increase awareness for your unique skill set in potential referral settings

•           How interdisciplinary care can aid in treatment

IMPORTANCE OF EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND INTERVENTION

u          Incidence of social emotional disturbance in the preschool population and impact

u          Impact of disruptive behavior in daycare/preschool settings

            -           meeting federal guidelines for social emotional development

u          Relevance for long-term outcomes

            -           effects on the individual and his/her family

u          Lifelong impact of early mental health disturbance

u          Importance of social emotional readiness for school and academic success

u          Case studies

CRITICAL EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO TRAUMA ON THE DEVELOPING BRAIN

u          Adverse Childhood Effects (ACE) study

            -           why is this relevant to your work?

u          Important traumas that many assessments miss

u          Impact of maternal depression and caregiver mental illness

u          Sensory impact of perceived trauma

u          How brain chemistry and structure are affected for life

u          How everyone's behavior is tailored by early experiences

u          Implications for future decision-making and life course

u          Case studies

PERTINENT INFORMATION YOU PROBABLY AREN'T USING TO EVALUATE

u          Temperament and goodness of fit as mental health concepts

u          How attachment issues can mimic mood disorders

u          Biological predispositions and rule outs

u          Sensory integration issues and importance of assessment

u          Co-morbid physical and developmental diagnoses

u          Behavioral issues and early intervention therapies

u          Case studies

IDENTIFICATION, SCREENING, ASSESSMENT, AND BILLING

u          Introduction to the DC:0-3R Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood: Revised Edition

u         You work with the population but don't diagnose? Why it is important to be familiar with diagnoses

u          Can you bill insurance companies while using DC:0-3R?

u          Other essential screening and diagnostic tools

            -           ruling out co-morbid conditions

            -           making a differential diagnosis

            -           knowing when and where to refer for diagnosis

ASSESSING THE GROWNUPS: IMPACT OF PARENTS'/CAREGIVERS' MENTAL HEALTH, STRESS, AND TRAUMATIC HISTORY

u          Implications of the current economic crisis

u          Family stress effects

u          Repetitive bonding patterns and "Ghosts in the Nursery" (Fraiberg, 1975)

u          Case studies

PARTNERING WITH EXISTING SYSTEMS TO ENSURE BEST OUTCOMES

u          Including daycares, caregivers, and schools in treatment, intervention, and treatment planning

u          Teaching families to advocate for their children and why it is important

WORKING SUCCESSFULLY WITH PARENTS

u          Securing parent buy-in and cooperation

u          Dealing with denial

u          How and when to talk about medication

u          Difficult case presentations

MAKING THE "SUPER NANNY" PHENOMENON WORK FOR YOUR PRACTICE

u          Redefining expectations—teaching parents that solutions don't happen in one episode

INTERVENTIONS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

u          Tailoring your toolbox to meet infant and toddler needs

u          Ideal toys and games

u          How to implement (and teach) timeout, sit-outs, and other parenting tools

u          Case studies

WHY ASKING ABOUT DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES AND THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF LIFE IS IMPORTANT AT ANY AGE

u          What current research has discovered about early childhood mental health and its effect on the lifespan

u          What questions to prioritize in treatment of older children and adults

u          Why early childhood experiences are significant at any age

u          How this information can be used in treatment and assessment

u          Case studies