The Virgin Islands' 6th Annual Autism Conference will feature
presentations by an expert from the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) and one of the nation's top children's hospitals. Conference
sessions are scheduled at the University of the Virgin Islands for
April 17, on St. Thomas, and April 18, on St. Croix.
The conference is designed to help Virgin Islanders develop a
better understanding of what autism is and what best practices are
in use for dealing with it, according to Dr. Charles H. Beady. Dr.
Beady is the acting executive director of the Virgin Islands
University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities,
which is organizing the event in collaboration with the Virgin
Islands Autism Network.
"Autism is an umbrella term for a wide range of disorders,"
Dr. Beady said. "The more the general public understands about the
spectrum of disorders that fit under this umbrella, the better able
we will be to assist persons with the disorder and their families
so that they too can enjoy every right granted to them under our
constitution."
Dr. Georgina Peacock, a medical officer and
developmental-behavioral pediatrician at the National Center on
Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, will be the keynote speaker. Dr.
Peacock is currently working with the CDC's Office of Public Health
Preparedness and Response on an initiative to enhance public health
disaster preparedness and response for children.
Also speaking will be Dr. Shanna Kralovic, a specialist in
autism spectrum disorders. She directs the developmental behavioral
pediatric rotation for pediatric residents at the Rainbow Babies'
and Children's Hospital, part of the University Hospitals Case
Medical Center, in Cleveland. Dr. Kralovic is also is the assistant
director for the hospital's Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics
Fellowship.
The target audience for this year's conference includes
medical professionals and those in the healthcare field - doctors,
nurses, pediatricians - and educational professionals, parents, and
family members of persons with autism. Conference participants will
learn the signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorders and what
conditions commonly occur along with them. It will also provide
assistance in identifying key professionals involved with
diagnosing and caring for children with disabilities.
Conference sessions will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at
each location. The St. Thomas session will take place in the UVI
Administration and Conference Center. On St. Croix, it will be held
in the Great Hall on the Albert A. Sheen Campus. Lunch will be
provided. Advanced registration is required.
Registration is available online by visiting http://autism.viucedd.org. For
more information on the conference call (340) 692-4266 or send
email to slouis@live.uvi.edu.
VIUCEDD is a special program created at UVI in 1994 to enhance
the quality of life for citizens with developmental disabilities
and their families. It promotes independence, productivity and full
integration into the community. Details are available on the
VIUCEDD website - www.viucedd.org.