Treating Children with Autism and GI Problems

Treating Children with Autism and GI Problems is organized by Boston Children's Hospital.

Release Date : 04/22/2024
Expiration Date : 04/22/2027

Topic:
Autism, Behavioral Health, Gastroenterology/nutrition, Neurology, Psychology, Social Work

Description:
In this presentation, Dr. Sonia Ballal discusses the treatment of children with autism, who frequently experience GI symptoms and diagnoses, including constipation, diarrhea, reflux, and food allergies. Dr. Ballal reviews her own research findings that children with autism have higher rates of esophagitis compared to children with developmental delay and typical development. Dr. Ballal also discusses the use of communication tools, such as visual task lists, to improve the outpatient experience for these children and their families. This course is one of a five-part video lecture series: “Managing Medical Issues in Autism.” The other topics in the series cover Behavior and GI issues in Autism, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, Looking for Answers: the Microbiome in Autism, and Communication of Pain and Illness with Autism. The series was made possible thanks to the generous support of the American Institute for Neuro-Integrative Development (AIND). All five presentations from the series are available as stand-alone courses.

Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this educational program, learners will be able to:

• Identify common GI conditions, findings and treatments in patients with autism.
• Apply tools to enhance communication of pain in individuals with autism.
• Modify communication in a clinical setting to better project and organize the patient experience.