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Experts Gather for Silk Road Child Health Forum

August 24, 2017 Olivia's Place Comments Off , , , , ,

Xian 1On 6-9 July, the Silk Road International Forum for Child Health 2017 was held in Xi’an by the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University and the Chinese Journal of Child Health Care. Nearly 500 experts in domestic and international pediatrics and health care participated in this meeting. A broad range of pediatric topics including early development, mental health, nutrition, growth and development, high risk infants, children with cerebral palsy, digestive health and allergic disorders, were discussed.

Dr. Susan Cadzow ( M.B.B.S., F.R.A.C.P., Australia, Chief of Behavioral and Developmental Pediatrics for LIH Oliva’s Place Clinics (a division of LIH Healthcare) and Kristi Troutman ((OTR/L, US), also with LIH Olivia’s Place, were invited and presented on “A Multidisciplinary Approach to Autism Diagnosis” and “What is Pediatric Occupational Therapy” respectively.
LIH Oliva’s Place Clinics, with rich resources in international healthcare, endeavors to build academic exchange with domestic medical institutes and is committed to the development of behavioral and developmental pediatrics and pediatric rehabilitation in China.

Congratulations on the success of the Silk Road International Forum for Child Health 2017!


LIH Healthcare Pediatric Specialists Present at Children’s Healthcare Forum

July 14, 2017 Olivia's Place Comments Off , , , , , ,

The “Forum on Current Topics in Caring for Children -Nutrition, Development & Parenting” was held at Shenzhen Bao An Maternity and Children’s Hospital on 14 May. Many well-known professors and international and local supervising physicians were invited to this forum, the theme of children’s health care issues. Dr. Susan Cadzow, Director of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics for LIH Healthcare and Kristi Troutman, Occupational Therapist and Clinical Manager of LIH Olivia’s Place Shenzhen, both presented at the event.

Baoan 1Dr.Susan Cadzow is an Australian-registered pediatrician and also a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. She has previously worked at Shanghai United Family Hospital and Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane. She is now the Director of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics at LIH Healthcare.
First, Dr. Cadzow explained what a multi-disciplinary team model is and why it is necessary in the diagnosis of autism. Due to complexity in diagnosis of autism and the similarity of symptoms to many other conditions, precise diagnosis requires the engagement of a team which may include a child’s doctor andoccupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological consultation, speech-language therapy, Learning support, and behavioral therapy.
Next, Dr. Cadzow explained in detail the goal of diagnostic assessment. At the end of the presentation, she expressed that she is looking forward to the further development in specialized services for treatment of autism for children and multi-disciplinary assessment team to enable early diagnosis and early intervention in China, as well as further understanding of practitioners on genetic conditions.

Kristi Troutman, LIH Olivia's Place Clinical Manager, presenting on "Occupational Therapy and Developmental-Behavioral Disorders"

Kristi Troutman, LIH Olivia’s Place Clinical Manager, presenting on “Occupational Therapy and Developmental-Behavioral Disorders”

Kristi Troutman, OTR/L, Clinical Manager at LIH Olivia’s Place Shenzhen, has more than 25 years of occupational therapy experience; she has worked with children with a variety of diagnoses, including autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, Angleman Syndrome, Noonan Syndrome, selective mutism, and developmental delay.

In her speech, she explained the concept and types of pediatric occupational therapy, and advocated the idea that “Family engagement is Essential in OT”- children, peers, family members, and adults work together on occupational activities such as feeding and eating, caregiver-child interaction in play, dressing, grooming, and personal hygiene. This joint effort is very important to infants, toddlers, children, and their families.

She put emphasis on the significance of occupational therapy, exemplified by how occupational therapy activities are designed to fit for the needs of every single child’s development. Her speech won applause from the audience from time to time, and was received very warmly. In the end, Ms. Troutman explained that the goal of treatment should be varied in terms of each individual, taking consideration of education at home and school, and also highlighted that treatment should be home-centered as appropriate.


LIH Healthcare Expert Invited to Lecture at 2017 ABA Annual Meeting

July 14, 2017 Olivia's Place Comments Off , , , , , , , ,

ABA 1Recently, the 2017 annual meeting of the Applied Behavior Analysis Specialized Committee of the China Association of Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons was held in Hangzhou, a city with pleasant scenery, attracting nearly 200 professionals throughout the country. Dr. Fengyi Kuo, LIH Healthcare Occupational Therapy Lead and Indiana State University Adjunct Faculty, was invited to give a lecture at this meeting.

With the topic of “Applied Behavior Analysis and Rehabilitation of Autism,” thematic lectures and workshops were thoughtfully arranged to promote the application of Applied Behavior Analysis in therapeutic interventions and education of children with autism and other disorders.

Dr. Kuo has deepened research multidisciplinary therapeutic approaches for children with autism. In this meeting, she introduced how family-centered early intervention and therapy is provided for children with autism in America by using data and vivid case studies. In one case, she especially mentioned a natural history museum where children can learn about various kinds of creatures and animals. In consideration of the needs of children with autism, the museum made special arrangement in terms of lighting, sounds, activity interactions, and many other aspects. Now, the museum has become one of the most popular places for children with autism.

Experts and committee members from across the country shared knowledge in autism and other topics in the meeting. Professor Guo Yanqing, vice president of Peking University Sixth Hospital and chairman of the Applied Behavior Analysis Specialized Committee introduced easy to understand approaches and also appealed to attendees for systematic planning and treatment throughout of lives of children with autism instead of only focusing on their current needs. Dr. Liu Jing, director of the Pediatric Psychological Health Center of Peking University Sixth Hospital, gave a lecture entitled Identification and Management of Comorbidities of Autism Spectrum Disorder. A report on How to Provide Social Interaction Training for Autistic Children at Home by Dr. Li Xue from Peking University Sixth Hospital also attracted a lot of feedback from attendees. Ms. Ke Shuhui, BCBA from Taiwan, shared experience on how to build a case-based ABA consultation system and especially mentioned the supervision role of teaching leads in this consultation system.

This academic meeting promoted the development and progress of the field of applied behavior analysis in China and encouraged academic communication and sharing among international and domestic experts. Pediatric therapy in China, including treatment for children with autism, still has a long way to go. LIH Healthcare will continue to endeavor to help children with autism and their families.


Hanen More Than Words Program: Empowering Parents

March 22, 2017 Olivia's Place Comments Off , , , , , ,

Between October 2016 and February 2017, three families dedicated 12 Saturdays with Hanen-certified speech-language pathologists Yi Lien and Chihui Yong at LIH Olivia’s Place to complete the More Than Words ®: Hanen program for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and other social communication problems.

Hanen’s More Than Words® is a program developed by speech therapists with expertise in the field of communication disorders and backed by extensive research. It empowers parents to help their child with social-communication difficulty or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) reach three goals:

1 Improved social communication and back-and-forth interactions
2 Improved play skills
3 Improved imitation skills

Through the program, parents reported the following improvements in their child:

 Increased joint-attention skills
 Improved response (to parents), increased interaction and imitation skills (verbal/actions)
 Improvement in play skills

With regards to the program’s approach, one Shanghai parent reported:

“训练者帮助我们分析、找出达到沟通、游戏目标的方法。他们提出反思的方式帮助我们思考。和其他项目的不同之处在于，他们不是给我们一个模板来复制，而是让我们能具备更好的设定策略能力，以帮助我们和孩子之间有更好的互动、沟通。”
“The trainers guide us to analyze and think of other ways to achieve the (communication/play) goals targeted. They used reflective questions to help us think. Unlike other programs, we were not given a template to copy, but were equipped with the strategies to help us interact/communicate better with our children.”

It was truly an exciting journey witnessing parents applying Hanen strategies to facilitate more back-and-forth interaction with their child, and hearing them generating their own creative ideas to communicate better with their child.

Due to the success of our workshop, we have decided to offer another it again. The workshop will be held in Mandarin Chinese. We would like to invite parents or teachers of children with social-communication difficulty or autism spectrum disorder to a free orientation session to learn more about the program.

Date : March 25th (Saturday)
Time : 2.30- 4.30pm
Venue : 41 YongJia Road, Office # 503
Contact Number : 021-5405-0058/59

For more information, please call LIH Olivia’s Place Shanghai or email us.


Autism a Focus of Professional Meetings in Beijing

February 9, 2017 Olivia's Place Comments Off , , , , ,

It iTervo BJ 2s the mission of LIH Olivia’s Place to improve the quality and prevalence of pediatric rehabilitation services in China and to help all children with special needs receive professional and effective rehabilitation service. In addition to providing high quality of service, LIH Olivia’s Place is also committed to promoting communication and interaction among professionals in this field. In November, Dr. Raymond Tervo, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician, participated in several professional development events in Beijing.With abundant research and clinical experience, Dr. Tervo has previously practiced at the Mayo Clinic and as a professor of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota.

On 23 November, Dr. Tervo shared his knowledge on the theory and practice of autism intervention with experts and clinicians from Beijing United Family Healthcare and Oasis International Hospital. In the workshop, Dr. Tervo also shared his clinical experiences and enthusiastically discussed problems in research and diagnosis.
BJ Tervo 4On 29 November, Xicheng Disabled Person’s Federation of Beijing and LIH Olivia’s Place Beijing jointly organized a lecture where Dr. Tervo again introduced theory and practice of autism interventions. More than seventy people participated in this lecture, including special education teachers from Xicheng District, doctors from the Mental Disease Prevention Institute at Pingan Hospital, pediatricians from Xicheng District Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital, and staff from the the federation. Dr. Tervo introduced the historical background, definition, prevalence, cause, diagnostic process, and interventions for autism. He answered questions and provided detailed explanations to particpants. In the Q & A session, a teacher from Peizhi School discussed and exchanged views on behavioral causes and training of autistic children she found in her teaching experience with Dr. Tervo.


Shanghai Team Hosts ‘Pop Up’ Conference on Autism

November 19, 2016 Olivia's Place Comments Off ,

The Shanghai team, supported by LIH Healthcare Chief Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician Dr. Raymond Tervo, offered a daylong training on assessment and intervention for autism through different pathways. Speakers at the November 18 event included pediatricians, speech-language therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and behavioral therapists.  The ‘pop up’ event was attended by approximately 60 invited guests. Dr. Tervo opened the day’s discussions with an introduction to current theory and practice in the area of autism. A number of the clinicians from our team spoke on autism-related topics, interventions and clinical experience. We were delighted to see so many familiar and new faces from the educational and medical communities of Shanghai, Suzhou, and Nanjing. Watch out for details of our next “pop –up” conference in the near future or contact Heidi Gao for more information.

pop-up-autism-conference


China Hosts Renown Autism Event

December 9, 2015 Olivia's Place Comments Off , , , , , , ,

2015 1107 -1On November 6th- 8th, 2015 China hosted the first ever Regional International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) Conference in Shanghai. Many well-known organizations and universities, such as Autism Speaks and Duke University, have been working with the Chinese government and universities with the goal of working collaboratively to improve the lives of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families as well to support and advance ASD research. The conference was a huge success as it allowed many scientists, clinicians, educators and parents from around the world to meet and exchange knowledge with one another and encompass global perspectives about ASD. Five clinicians from LIH Olivia’s Place, one from each discipline, created an e-poster on using an inter-disciplinary team approach for screening, diagnosis and early intervention of ASDs. They discussed the assessment and interventions highlighted with many well- known researchers, clinicians, local educators, and parents. Fengyi Kuo, Occupational Therapist, also presented an e-poster on transition and therapy services for adolescents and young adults with ASD. An LIH Olivia’s Place high school intern, Tiffany Lu from Dulwich College Suzhou, also participated in many informative professional sessions that this conference had to offer. In addition, the clinicians and other participants attended lectures on a variety of topics, many of which highlighted the huge progress that is being made worldwide in developing effective interventions and assessment measures for children with ASD.

 

LIH Olivia's Place IMFAR Delegation (left to right); Lis Ringrose, Chief Therapy Officer; Laura Lofy, Psychology Lead Beijing; Jamie Fanelli, Behavior & Learning Support Lead; Sophia Gurracino, Speech-Language Lead Shanghai; Fengyi Kuo, Occupational Therapist

LIH Olivia’s Place IMFAR Delegation (left to right); Lis Ringrose, Chief Therapy Officer; Laura Lofy, Psychology Lead Beijing; Jamie Fanelli, Behavior & Learning Support Lead; Sophia Gurracino, Speech-Language Lead Shanghai; Fengyi Kuo, Occupational Therapist

For Jamie Fanelli, Behavior & Learning Support Lead at LIH Olivia’s Place, the conference was an incredibly rewarding experience; she reflected that it  “reinforced why I personally love my job so much— the opportunity to move forward in improving the standard of therapy in China and positively impact quality of life for so many individuals with ASD and special needs. It was a true pleasure to meet and develop relationships with several of the world’s leading researchers in ASD and even more so with local educators, physicians and parents. All of whom are extremely dedicated to improving the lives of children with ASD and their families here in China.”

 

One of the more memorable experiences for Sophia Guarracino, Speech-Language Therapy Lead at LIH Olivia’s Place Shanghai, was listening to a parent question-answer forum. During this time, parents were able to ask any questions to a panel of presenters. Most of the parents’ stories were heartfelt, sharing feelings of being overwhelmed, helpless, and not knowing where to turn for knowledge to better understand their child’s condition. For Sophia, hearing parents’ stories about their children being asked not return to school “made it so clear that there is such as a need of more education and support for both Chinese families and China’s educational system, to better help serve the needs of these children with autism. That is why it is inspiring that LIH Olivia’s Place can help support this need as it continues to develop and spread the expertise in this field.”


Clinician Profile: Pengsi Shen, BCBA

November 19, 2015 Olivia's Place Comments Off , , , , , ,
Pengsi Shen, BCBA, Behavior Analyst

Pengsi Shen, BCBA, Behavior Analyst

Pengsi Shen is a Behavior Analyst with our Behavior and Learning Support team at Beijing LIH Olivia’s Place. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Teachers College, Columbia University (US). She has worked with preschoolers with disabilities in self-contained classrooms, assessing students, selecting evidence-based programs, and implementing intervention and behavioral plans. She has also worked with early elementary students with or without disabilities in inclusive classroom settings, providing interventions for students who lack certain developmental/social skills using scientific protocols, providing group and class-wide instruction, and implementing both individual and class-wide positive behavior plans to facilitate learning and love for learning. Pengsi works with children in both Mandarin and English.

 

How long have you been in China?

I was born here, raised here, and received most of my education here too. I left China three years ago to earn a master’s degree in New York, and came back again to China in July 2015.

 

Why did you choose to work at LIH Olivia’s Place?

I love to work with kids with special needs, and want to learn more about different professionals that also work with the same population.  I would also like to keep up to a te with the latest research and practice from well-trained foreign therapists, but still be able to work with local children. LIH Olivia’s Place is a place where therapists (from all over the world) of all disciplines work closely together for the same goal: help each kid (regardless of their nationality) to reach their full potential.

 

Why did you choose your field?

The truth is by accident! I had never heard about applied behavioral analysis (ABA) before and had little experience working with kids with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) since there are no ABA degree programs in China yet and most children here with ASD have been excluded from general educational classrooms. However it is the best decision I’ve made so far in my life.

 

What are some of the most rewarding experiences you have had in your chosen profession?

(1) When a child starts looking into my eyes, with affection. It is really hard to get many of the children I work with to make eye contact.

(2) When all of sudden a child runs to me, gives me a hug, and runs away.

(3) When parents tell me that my suggestions have worked so well with their child.

 

What’s your favorite thing about living in China and working at LIH Olivia’s Place?

I can talk to my family without lag time and visit them more often.  I am so excited for this coming Chinese New Year in February, since it will be my first New Year with family after three years.  I love to talk to different therapists at LIH Olivia’s Place, and get to work with children with a variety of needs.

 

What would you like to be doing in 5 years time?

I would still be working with kids with special needs, and working with parents and teachers too. In 5 years, hopefully people will be better educated and can embrace kids of all kinds, acknowledge them, and love them unconditionally through our joint efforts.  Also I hope for a flexible work schedule to enjoy life with my family.

 


Caring for Children with Autism Parent Lecture Program

November 2, 2015 Olivia's Place Comments Off , , , ,

IMG_2825The second “Caring for Autistic Children -Health Lectures for Parents of Children of Autism” was successfully held at Beijing Chiildren’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, on 28th June 2015. The lecture was jointly organized by Beijing Children Hospital Group, The Department of Neurology at Capital Medical University, the Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology at Capital Medical University, Beijing Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric Association，Beijing Association of Rehabilitation Medicine, and LIH Olivia’s Place.

 

IMG_2801Dr. Fang Fang, the Director of the Department of Neurology at Beijing Children’s Hospital, and well-known pediatric neurologist, presided. Dr. Mease, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician and LIH Olivia’s Place Medical Director, gave the keynote lecture, Rearing and Accompanying Autistic Children: The Behavioral Problems of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Holding a model of the brain model in his hand, he explained autism spectrum disorders to over forty parents from across the country in simple language. Moreover, he helped them to understand and to be receptive of autism. Dr. Mease presented some behavioral problems in detail, such as sleeping, potty training, ritualistic behavior, obsession or compulsive behaviors, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity-attention deficit, and self-injurious and assaultive behavior. He started with the appearance and assessment of problems through case studies, then attentively guided the parents IMG_2812through the process of drawing solutions. His lecture provided parents with feasible measures to cope with their children’s behaviors, helping to alleviate their anxiety

.

Dr. Zhang Jishui, from Beijing Children’s Hospital, gave a speech called The Brain Cognitive Function Intervention of Autism. Dr. .Zhang has abundant clinical experience and has been engaged in autism treatment for a long time. Many parents attending the event came from other provinces to hear him speak.

 

 

From Left to Right: Susan Zhu, LIH Olivia's Place, Professor Fang, Beijing Children's Hospital, Dr. Alan, Mease, LIH Olivia's Place, and Dr. Zhang Jishui, Beijing Children's Hospital

From Left to Right: Susan Zhu, LIH Olivia’s Place, Professor Fang, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Dr. Alan, Mease, LIH Olivia’s Place, and Dr. Zhang Jishui, Beijing Children’s Hospital

After 3 hours of lectures, lots of parents still wanted to ask questions. One after another, they told Dr. Fang Fang, the director, that they hoped the event could be carried out again. It’s the long-cherished wish of parents to see their children reach their maximum potential. This health lecture aimed at helping parents to understand and accept autism objectively, to cope with present problems, and to be prepared for future challenges.


Deepening Partnership with Changning Special Education Guiding Center

October 21, 2015 Olivia's Place Comments Off , , , , , ,
Staff prepare for an LIH Olivia's Place professional workshop at Changning Special Education Center

Staff prepare for an LIH Olivia’s Place professional workshop at Changning Special Education Center

Over the last school year, Olivia’s Place completed a training project about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in cooperation with Shanghai Changning Special Education Guiding Center, a public organization which provides opportunities for career development for local educators who work with children with special needs. The trainings attracted many local school teachers and medical practitioners. Participants came from all over the city and neighboring provinces. The program content included childhood development, theory-based knowledge, and the sharing of clinical experience. Therapists from Olivia’s Place in each field of practice have made contributions to the project through interactive, inspiring, and practical presentations for all attendees:

 

  • Anna Pascual, Occupational Therapist Lead, introduced occupational therapy for children with learning difficulties.
  • Zili Wang, Physiotherapist, introduced how children with ASD benefit from physical therapy.
  • Jamie Fanelli, Learning and Behavioral Support Lead, introduced strategies and supports for academic success for children with ASD.
  • Yi Lien, Speech-Language Therapist, introduced speech-language assessment and treatment for children with ASD.

 

In addition to the multi-disciplinary ASD project, Olivia’s Place and Changning Center started a new series of trainings in the area of communication disorders. This project targeted applying clinical skills for different types of communication disorders in the school setting, including evaluation methods and comparison of different therapy approaches. These speech and language training projects were conducted by Angela Gong and Yi Lien. Both therapists have worked with Changning Center since 2013. The specific topics addressed included:

 

  • Heidi Gao and Jamie Fanelli, Learning and Behavior Support Specialist, field questions.

    Heidi Gao and Jamie Fanelli, Learning and Behavior Support Specialist, field questions.

    Children with autism spectrum disorder

  • Children with oral motor disorders/delays
  • Children with social and pragmatic impairment
  • Children with articulation and phonological disorders
  • Children with stuttering
  • Children with hearing loss

 

So far, we have received many greetings and positive feedback from the attendees of these projects. As a new school year comes, we cannot wait for new outreach and more collaboration with our partner organizations!


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