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Monmouth University Hosts Symposium on Autism Perception Through Different Cultures

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) now affect about one in 68 children in the United States and can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. Treatment options are diverse and vary from country to country. Is the treatment in the United States, which focuses mostly on behavior rehabilitation techniques, the best option for individuals with ASD?  Or would it be better to integrate principles from therapies offered in Italy, which concentrate on training individuals with ASD to effectively resonate emotionally with their peers and family members?  Leading scholars from Italy and the United States will debate this topic and discuss best practices for speech and language impairments in children with autism at the symposium “Autism Perception Through Different Cultures” on May 26 and 27.  The event will be held in Wilson Auditorium from 9 a.m. to Noon.

“The goal of the symposium is to help improve evidence-based interventions for individuals with Autism spectrum disorders, provide tools to support those individuals and their families, and assist healthcare professionals and educators,” said  Symposium Facilitator Patrizia Bonaventura, Ph.D., assistant professor of speech pathology at Monmouth University. 

The symposium will include talks by Dr. Federico Di Castelbianco, Ph.D., director of the SLP clinic Istituto di Ortofonologia, Rome, Italy, and his collaborator, Magda Di Renzo, Ph.D., about his new treatment and assessment test for children with autism, and about their implementation in Italian schools. Stacy Lauderdale, Ph.D., assistant professor in special education at Monmouth University, will present on multicultural issues in treatment and assessment of children in the United States.  Workshops will follow, with practical demonstrations of the treatment and the assessment test developed by Di Castelbianco.

Registration fee is $25 per day ($40 for two days).  Professional Development Hours are available for an additional fee of $30 per day. 

For further information, contact Symposium Facilitator Patrizia Bonaventura at   pbonaven@monmouth.edu.​