Tag Archives: OTs

Aging Challenges for Clinicians – 3 Hours CE

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Aging Challenges for Clinicians is a new 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that provides a review of the aging process, illustrating potential challenges and effective solutions.

Aging Challenges for Clinicians is a new 3-hour online CE course that illustrates potential challenges and effective solutions.

There are proportionately more older adults living now than in previous generations due to the post-World War II baby boom. Americans are also living longer, well into their eighties, nineties, and beyond. In healthcare, the volume of older people may soon outnumber the supply of healthcare professionals trained in geriatrics. Therefore, it is vital that healthcare professionals be familiar with the challenges of aging if they are to effectively treat this population.

In section one, we review the physical changes that occur during the aging process and differentiate between normal changes, and symptoms that may indicate possible health issues. We discuss factors that can positively support a healthy lifestyle and offer a list of recommended health screenings and strategies for supporting patients.

Section two focuses on psychosocial issues faced by older adults and the factors that can affect them, including depression, suicide, sexuality, substance abuse, and physical abuse. The negative effect of stereotyping is also discussed. We consider how spirituality, building resilience, having a healthy social life, and having emotional support play a role in psychosocial health.

The cognitive changes of aging are explored in section three. Normal, age-related cognitive changes are compared to changes that indicate signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. We review physical issues that directly affect an older person’s cognitive state and discuss subjective cognitive decline as one of the earliest warning signs of potential dementia. Strategies for maintaining and improving memory, as well as addressing behavior and cognitive issues, are touched on.

In section four, we look at the importance of communication in the patient/professional relationship and note strategies for supporting positive interactions and dialog. Section five provides an overview of the continuum of care for older adults and the challenges experienced by caregivers. A short list of available resources is provided at the end of the course and case examples are provided throughout. Course #31-51 | 2023 | 55 pages | 20 posttest questions

Click here to learn more about Aging Challenges for Clinicians

About the Author

Laura More, MSW, LCSW, has been a licensed clinical social worker for over 40 years and has worked in a variety of practice settings, including: rehabilitation, oncology, trauma, skilled nursing, education, and management. She founded Care2Learn, an online continuing education resource for post-acute healthcare professionals. She has co-authored psychology and nursing books as well as authoring hundreds of online courses. Laura is currently a healthcare author/editor of online continuing education courses, specializing in evidence-based research review. She is the recipient of the 2010 Education Award from the American College of Health Care Administrators.

Course Directions

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. The course is text-based (reading) and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).

Successful completion of this course involves passing an online test (80% required, 3 chances to take) and we ask that you also complete a brief course evaluation. Click here to learn more.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology and Office of School Psychology, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Dietetics and Nutrition, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners – Occupational Therapy; the Mississippi MSDoH Bureau of Professional Licensure – Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145), State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135) and marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100), and the State Board for Social Workers an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and MFT Board (#RCST100501) and Speech and Hearing Professionals Board; the South Carolina Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors and Therapists (#193), Examiners in Psychology, Social Worker Examiners, Occupational Therapy, and Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); the West Virginia Board of Social Work; the Wyoming Board of Psychology; and is CE Broker compliant  (#50-1635 – all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.org! Click here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia – New Online CE Course

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Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: A Practical Guide is a new 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that offers healthcare professionals a basic foundation in Alzheimer’s disease prevention, diagnosis, and risk management.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia is a new 3-hour online CE course that offers practical information for working with clients with AD.

This course offers practical information to aid healthcare professionals as they interact with clients who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Dementias other than Alzheimer’s disease will be referenced when information about their specific symptoms or treatment is discussed.

We start by considering the differences between typical or “normal” aging and signs indicative of Alzheimer’s disease. This is followed by a review of the criteria necessary to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and the available evaluations for testing cognition and biomarkers. In section two, we consider the possible risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, such as traumatic brain injury, Down syndrome, cardiovascular risks, environmental factors, and lifestyle factors.

Section three offers insight into new developments in the study and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and provides information regarding reputable sources for further information.

The difficulties caregivers experience are discussed in section four and strategies for supporting those caregivers are provided. Section five presents practical guidance for caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease, including daily care activities, keeping the person safe, and unwanted behaviors.

Section six reviews prevention and compensation strategies to help people protect their cognitive health as they age. This includes modifiable risk factors that have the potential to reduce the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease. A special section on protecting our elders from scams is also provided. Course #31-50 | 2023 | 65 pages | 20 posttest questions

Click here to learn more about Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia

About the Author

Laura More, MSW, LCSW, has been a licensed clinical social worker for over 40 years and has worked in a variety of practice settings, including: rehabilitation, oncology, trauma, skilled nursing, education, and management. She founded Care2Learn, an online continuing education resource for post-acute healthcare professionals. She has co-authored psychology and nursing books as well as authoring hundreds of online courses. Laura is currently a healthcare author/editor of online continuing education courses, specializing in evidence-based research review. She is the recipient of the 2010 Education Award from the American College of Health Care Administrators.

Course Directions

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. The course is text-based (reading) and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).

Successful completion of this course involves passing an online test (80% required, 3 chances to take) and we ask that you also complete a brief course evaluation. Click here to learn more.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology and Office of School Psychology, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Dietetics and Nutrition, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners – Occupational Therapy; the Mississippi MSDoH Bureau of Professional Licensure – Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145), State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135) and marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100), and the State Board for Social Workers an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and MFT Board (#RCST100501) and Speech and Hearing Professionals Board; the South Carolina Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors and Therapists (#193), Examiners in Psychology, Social Worker Examiners, Occupational Therapy, and Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); the West Virginia Board of Social Work; the Wyoming Board of Psychology; and is CE Broker compliant  (#50-1635 – all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.org! Click here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

30% Off Online CE to Celebrate 30 Years!

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After 30 years of providing CE, we at PDR are so excited to celebrate our Pearl Anniversary with you – because we know we couldn’t have made it here without you. With thanks, please enjoy 30% OFF all of our online CE courses:

Enjoy 30% off ALL online CE courses in our 30-year anniversary sale! Use promo code "30Years" at checkout to redeem. Sale ends August 31, 2022.

Click Here to Save 30% on CE!

Your 30% discount should automatically apply at checkout, but if for any reason it doesn’t – just enter promo code 30Years and click update to add. Offer valid on future orders only. Sale ends Wednesday, August 31, 2022.

Professional Development Resources, Inc. is a Florida nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We provide online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses for Psychologists and School Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists (MFTs), Occupational Therapists (OTs), Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), and Teachers.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology and Office of School Psychology, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Dietetics and Nutrition, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners – Occupational Therapy; the Mississippi MSDoH Bureau of Professional Licensure – Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145), State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135) and marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100), and the State Board for Social Workers an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and MFT Board (#RCST100501) and Speech and Hearing Professionals Board; the South Carolina Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors and Therapists (#193), Examiners in Psychology, Social Worker Examiners, Occupational Therapy, and Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); the West Virginia Board of Social Work; the Wyoming Board of Psychology; and is CE Broker compliant  (#50-1635 – all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.org! Click here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

IEP Goals New CE Guide

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IEP Goals: S.M.A.R.T.E.R. STEPS® Guide is a new 2-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that provides a framework for writing legally compliant IEP goals.

IEP Goals: S.M.A.R.T.E.R. STEPS® Guide is a new 2-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that provides a framework for writing legally compliant IEP goals.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings give parents and professionals a chance to work together to design an IEP for children with learning disabilities who have been determined eligible for special education. The goals for academic achievement and functional performance set for each child are the core of the IEP. Goals represent what you and the other IEP team members think the child will be able to accomplish in their area(s) of disability – academic, developmental, and functional – in a year’s time. Annual goals must be written in measurable terms. 

This course will focus on teaching professionals how to write legally compliant IEP goals using the S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Steps framework. These steps contain a variety of time-saving tips to help special education professionals understand the legal jargon related to IEP goal development. Examples will be provided to demonstrate the strategy so that participants can have a bank of goals for reference. Real scenarios will be problem-solved within the framework, so participants can have practical advice to share with their IEP teams.

Research on the need for compliant IEP goals will be presented based on the US Deptartment of Education’s findings from the Results Driven Accountability measures. Implications of these findings will be discussed as they relate to federal funding being tied to test results and progress on IEP goals. Recent court decisions will also be reviewed to emphasize the importance of developing compliant IEP goals. Course #21-35 | 2019 | 44 pages | 16 posttest questions

Click here to learn more.

Course Directions

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. The course is text-based (reading) and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).

Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. Click here to learn more.

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Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

PDR offers over 150 accredited online CE courses for healthcare professionals. 

Target Audience: Psychologists, School Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists (MFTs), Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), Occupational Therapists (OTs), Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), and Teachers

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.org! Click here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Zero Order Skills

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Course excerpt from Improving Social Skills in Children & Adolescents

Zero Order SkillsThis subset of skills is best defined as skills that are only significant when they fail to exist. “The ability to follow another person’s gazing gesture (head turn paired with eye gaze shift) or pointing gesture is an important milestone in early communicative development as it serves as a governing factor in both social interactions and referential communication between a young child and an adult” (John & Mervis, 2010).

Many children who have learning disabilities also show soft neurological symptoms. They generally involve coordination and motor skills. Pediatricians will assess soft signs in simple activities, such as “touch your nose with your finger” or “walk on your heels” (Lavoie, 2005, p.13).

These neurological symptoms manifest themselves in the child’s zero order skills. For example, a common soft sign is a child’s inability to track with his eyes without moving his head. When you are having a conversation with others at the dinner table, you make eye contact with each person as he or she speaks. You establish eye contact by moving your head slightly and moving your eyes to meet the gaze of your conversation partner. Children with this soft sign may, instead, keep their eyes fixed and move their head in order to establish and maintain eye contact. As you can imagine, this behavior will be viewed as odd. Although the behavior is normal for an infant, it is uncommon for a school-age child.

The ability to track a conversation as a zero order skill is noticeable only when it does not exist. It is highly unlikely that you would say, “I really like Frank, He’s so social! He always makes eye contact during conversations without moving his head very much.”

Lavoie (2005) lists the neurological soft signs that are commonly found in children with learning disorders and their corresponding zero order skills:

  • Hyper reaction
  • Hypo reaction
  • Attentional dysfocus
  • Perseveration
  • Motor speed problems
  • Bimanual coordination problems
  • Balance problems
  • Mirror movements
  • Copying deficits
  • Echolalia (repetition of speech sounds)
  • Left/right disorientation
  • Immature distance notion

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A significant zero order skill that may be missing in children with social skills deficits is the “standing face.” Most people have a standing face that is relaxed and opened. Those with standing face have a slack open mouth look about them; serious or aloof. This type of face alludes to boredom or superiority. It is not attractive to others and is off-putting.

According to Terra (2010), “the goal may not be to adopt an artificial wardrobe of empty smiles, but to master the facial posture of someone who comes across as engaged and relaxed. This can involve ‘cocking’ the head to the side to convey interest, making 8-second interval eye contact, changing physical position (such as leaning slightly forward), gestures of approval such as sporadic smiles, nods, and ‘aha’ looks, and nonverbal cues (‘hmmmm’, ‘uh-huh’ and ‘ah’).”

Basic hygiene is also a zero order skill, only noticeable if it is not there. Effort needs to be made to teach children basic hygiene because of its impact on social relationships.

Click here to learn more.

Improving Social Skills in Children & AdolescentsImproving Social Skills in Children & Adolescents is a 4-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that discusses the social skills children and adolescents will need to develop to be successful in school and beyond. It will demonstrate the challenges and difficulties that arise from a deficit of these crucial skills, as well as the benefits and advantages that can come about with well-developed social skills. This course will also provide practical tools that teachers and therapists can employ to guide children to overcome their difficulties in the social realm and gain social competence. While there are hundreds of important social skills for students to learn, we can organize them into skill areas to make it easier to identify and determine appropriate interventions. This course is divided into 10 chapters, each detailing various aspects of social skills that children, teens, and adults must master to have normative, healthy relationships with the people they encounter every day. This course provides tools and suggestions that, with practice and support, can assist them in managing their social skills deficits to function in society and nurture relationships with the peers and adults in their lives. Course #40-40 | 2016 | 62 pages | 35 posttest questions

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This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. After enrolling, click on My Account and scroll down to My Active Courses. From here you’ll see links to download/print the course materials and take the CE test (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document). Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion.
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Professional Development Resources is approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635), Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635), and Occupational Therapy Practice (#34); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

Florida OT Laws & Rules

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By Leo Christie, PhD

Florida Occupational Therapy Laws & Rules is a 2-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that meets the license renewal requirement of Florida Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs).

Florida OT Laws & RulesThis course addresses the Florida Laws and Rules contained in the Florida Occupational Therapy Practice Act and the Florida Occupational Therapy Rules. The purposes of this course are to (1) provide the opportunity for a comprehensive reading of the two documents listed above, (2) ensure that Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants in the State of Florida are fully aware of the laws and rules governing the license under which they are practicing, and (3) fulfill the requirement that Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants in Florida complete each biennial renewal period two hours of continuing education relating to the Practice of Occupational Therapy. Course #21-01 | 2015 | 37 pages | 18 posttest questions

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This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. You can print the test (download test from My Courses tab of your account after purchasing) to mark your answers on it while reading the course document. Then submit online when ready to receive credit.

Professional Development Resources is an AOTA Approved Provider of continuing education (#3159). OT Content Focus – Professional Issues: Legal, Legislative, Regulatory, & Reimbursement Issues. This program is offered for 0.2 CEU’s. The assignment of AOTA CEU’s does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the Florida Board of OT Practice (#34) and is CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within 1 week of completion).

Florida-licensed occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) have an upcoming license renewal deadline of February 28, 2015.

CE Required: 26 hours every 2 years, of which:
2 hours Preventing Medical Errors is required each renewal
2 hours Florida Occupational Therapy Laws & Rules is required each renewal
1 hour HIV/AIDS is required for the first renewal only
Online CE Allowed: 12 hours (home study)
License Expiration: 2/28, odd years
National Accreditation Accepted: AOTA

Related Course:

Memorial Day Sale!

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Memorial Day CEU Sale

Kick-off summer and stock up on CEUs with 25% Off ALL Courses this Memorial Day weekend!

Enter promotion code MemDay25 at checkout and click “update” to apply.

Shop Now!

If your order total is $100 or more (after discount), we’ll issue you a $25 credit that you can use on your next order (code will be sent via email within 1 business day). May Bonus Bucks expire 5/31/2013.

Memorial Day Sale ends at midnight on Monday, May 27, 2013. Coupon valid on future orders only and must be applied at checkout (click ‘update’ to apply – you will see discount deducted from total before entering payment information).

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Professional Development Resources is approved to offer continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC Provider #5590); by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); by the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC Provider #000279); by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); by the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635), Dietetics & Nutrition (#50-1635), and Occupational Therapy Practice (#34); by the Illinois DPR for Social Work (#159-00531); by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); by the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and by the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

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Autism Awareness Month CEU Special

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Autism Awareness MonthApril is Autism Awareness Month, and today (April 2nd) is the 6th annual World Autism Awareness Day. Every April we feature our CE courses that focus on autism with the goal of contributing to autism awareness among health professionals. This year we are offering 25% off all of our autism-related CEU courses for the entire month:

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Families who have a child with autism may face new challenges this year when the long-awaited revised version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM5) is published. It is scheduled for release in May 2013. Published by the American Psychiatric Association, the DSM is considered the “bible” of psychiatry because it establishes the criteria mental health professionals use to diagnose their patients. According to Clinical Psychiatry News (Feb. 6, 2013), the new autism requirements in the DSM5 will be more restrictive than those found in the current DSM-IV.
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The intent is to make the diagnosis of autism more precise, but one of the real-life consequences will be that many individuals who are currently diagnosed with the condition may no longer qualify under the new criteria. An article published in CNN Health (Dec. 3, 2012) cited research predicting that at least 5% to 10% of patients will no longer meet the criteria for autism.
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Other predictions are for much higher numbers. One article, published in the journal Developmental Neurorehabilitation in June 2012, found that over 47% fewer toddlers would be diagnosed under the DSM5 autism criteria than under the current DSM-IV criteria. Whether or not such projections prove to be accurate, there is widespread concern among parents and advocacy groups that individuals who are currently diagnosed and under treatment may lose their benefits.
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While it may take several years for these diagnostic shifts to sort themselves out, it is important in the meantime for professionals who work with autistic individuals to monitor the situation closely. We plan to publish new courses as the DSM5 diagnostic criteria are phased in and new research becomes available.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA); by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC #5590); by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046); by the National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC #000279); by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA #3159); by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA #AAUM); by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR#PR001); and by various state licensing boards. Click here to view all accreditation’s.

Autism Linked to Fever or Flu in Pregnancy

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By Joseph Brownstein, MyHealthNewsDaily Contributor

Autism Linked to Fever or Flu in PregnancyHaving a fever or flu in pregnancy may be linked with the development of autism in children, a new study suggests. While researchers are hesitant to draw strong conclusions, the study is at least the second showing such a link.

The researchers followed mothers in Denmark and the nearly 97,000 children they had between 1997 and 2003. During the study, 976 children in the study were diagnosed with autism.

Children were more likely to be diagnosed with autism if their mothers had the flu or developed a prolonged fever during the first or second trimester of pregnancy.

But the topic needs further study before stronger conclusions can be drawn, said study researcher Hjördis Osk Atladottir, of the University of Aarhus.

“Around 99 percent of women experiencing influenza, fever or taking antibiotics during pregnancy do NOT have children with autism,” Atladottir wrote to MyHealthNewsDaily in an email.

Dr. Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Developmental Disabilities Branch, who was not involved in the study, said, “We’re not recommending clinically that physicians change their management of pregnant women based on these findings.”

One reason for the caution may be that pregnant women who are concerned about lowering their child’s risk of autism would, for the most part, simply need to adhere to existing guidelines, which recommend getting a flu shot, and treating fevers by taking acetaminophen and contacting their physician.

Some researchers were puzzled by the authors’ caution.

“The data indicates that maternal flu infection or an extended fever increases the risk for autism in the offspring — a twofold increase,” said Paul H. Patterson, a biology professor who researches the connections between infection and neurological development at the California Institute of Technology.

Noting that the new finding is consistent with other research, Patterson said, “I’m not clear on why they appear to soft-pedal their results in their conclusions.”

A study published in May from researchers at the University of California, Davis found a similar connection, showing that mothers of children with autism were more likely to have had a prolonged fever in the late first or second trimesters of pregnancy, compared with mothers of children who didn’t have autism.

Irva Hertz-Picciotto, an author of the UC Davis findings, said while the reason that fevers or flu during pregnancy may be linked with autism are unclear, it’s thought that inflammation may have an adverse effect on early brain development.

“I think there’s some growing evidence that perhaps inflammation in the wrong tissue at the wrong time could interfere with normal developmental processes,” Hertz-Picciotto said.

There is also evidence for a link between mothers who have inflammatory conditions such as diabetes and autism in children, but that link, too, has not been conclusively established, she said.

“There is some growing evidence that in neurodevelopment, this could be part of a pathologic process, this could lead to behavioral type syndromes,” Hertz-Picciotto said.

Indeed, researchers are just beginning to develop an understanding of autism’s causes, the experts said.

“We know a lot more than we knew five years ago, but the science is really in its infancy,” said Coleen Boyle, of the CDC.

A CDC-sponsored study, called the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED), is following more than 2,700 children in California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, with the hope of identifying factors that might influence autism spectrum disorders.

Boyle said that the possible environmental causes of autism can be more challenging to research than the disorder’s genetic causes. For example, data in the new study had to be collected starting in the late 1990s.

“You can just see the time that’s required to collect that kind of information,” Boyle said.

“There’s not a lot of people looking at these environmental factors,” Hertz-Picciotto said. “This is something people should be paying more attention to, because it’s actionable.”

Pass it on:A flu or fever during pregnancy may lead to autism in children.

Source: http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/3257-autism-fever-flu-pregnancy-inflammation.html

Professional Development Resources, an accredited provider of online continuing education courses for health professionals, offers a number of courses that address the research, diagnosis and treatment of those on the Autism spectrum.

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