[May 13, 2013]

Autism Symposium June 1 at Stanford University, Sponsored by Packard Children's Hospital

Raising a child with autism can leave parents with big questions, both at the time of diagnosis and in the years that follow. Prominent among them: What do I need to do when my child is first diagnosed How can I help my son or daughter make friends What should I know to help my teen with autism make the leap to adult life

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford is here to help parents find answers. On June 1, the hospital presents its Sixth Annual Autism Spectrum (News - Alert) Disorders Update, an event that gives members of the community a chance to learn about new autism research and therapies. This year's theme, "Growing up with Autism: Genes, Families, Friends and Schools," encompasses every stage of a child's development, including the root causes of autism, diagnosis and the transition to adulthood.

WHAT:
Autism experts from Packard Children's, the Stanford University School of Medicine and the local autism community will give presentations on a wide cross-section of topics. The day includes keynote sessions on stem cell research and the brain in autism, and on improving peer friendships in children with autism. Additional breakout sessions will be offered on genes and environmental factors; helping families post-diagnosis; early interventions; the impact on autism of upcoming revisions in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM (News - Alert)-5); making friends; attention, language and math abilities in autism; the transition to adulthood; and parenting tools. The complete program is online at http://bit.ly/10efBfX.

WHERE:
Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center, Stanford University, 326 Galvez St., Stanford, Calif. Register online at http://bit.ly/10gRp8F.

WHEN:
Saturday, June 1, 2013, 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Registration and continental breakfast begin at 7:45 a.m.)

WHY:
"We have a lot of ways to help parents and educators," said Carl Feinstein, MD, director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at Packard Children's and professor of sychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine. "The majority of our topics at this year's symposium have to do with real-world issues faced by children and families with autism."

Among other highlights, the symposium will help to launch a new Packard Children's program to provide parents of newly diagnosed children with several sessions of direct, one-on-one guidance for how to relate best to their child. "It's a tremendous shock to find out that your child has an autism spectrum diagnosis," Feinstein said. "But there's a lot that can be done to help decipher your child's behavior, and we want to help parents get started." The program is a partnership with the Children's Health Council in Palo Alto (News - Alert) and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

By popular request, the symposium also includes a strong emphasis on how to help children with autism navigate friendships with peers. In the past, children with autism have often attended social skills groups to learn about social interaction, but a more hands-on approach is gaining popularity, Feinstein said. "We're moving much more to the real-time environments of the child, such as classrooms and playgrounds, and we're also helping other kids receive non-invasive coaching about how to relate better to children with autism."

"We really want to reach out to parents," Feinstein concluded. "At the Center for Autism, we believe that two-way communication between parents and experts is an essential part of providing the best care for children, teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorders."

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
Parents, teachers, pediatricians, psychologists, caregivers and anyone with an interest in autism are invited to attend. Register online at http://bit.ly/10gRp8F. The $100 registration fee includes a continental breakfast and a buffet lunch. Media may attend free of charge through the contact below.

About Packard Children's
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford is an internationally recognized 311-bed hospital, research center and leading regional medical network providing a full complement of services for the health of children and expectant mothers. In partnership with the Stanford University School of Medicine, our world-class doctors and nurses deliver innovative, family-centered care in every pediatric and obstetric specialty. Packard Children's is annually ranked as one of the nation's finest by U.S. News & World Report and the only Northern California children's hospital with specialty programs ranked in the U.S. News Top 10. Learn more about the Packard Children's Health Alliance at PCHA.org; explore our hospital expansion at growing.lpch.org; and find our full range of preeminent programs at lpch.org. Like us on Facebook, watch us on YouTube (News - Alert) and follow us on Twitter.

About the Stanford University School of Medicine
The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation's top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://mednews.stanford.edu. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. For information about all three, please visit http://stanfordmedicine.org/about/news.html.

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