5th Annual FASD Conference – Speaker Information
May 29 @ 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
We are honoured to welcome the following speakers…
KEYNOTE SPEAKER and BREAKOUT SPEAKER
Katy Flannigan, PhD, R. Psych. — Research Associate
Dr. Katherine (Katy) Flannigan is a Research Associate at the Canada FASD Research Network and a registered psychologist in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia (out-of-province). Dr. Flannigan received her PhD in School and Clinical Child Psychology from the University of Alberta, and completed a post-doctoral research fellowship in Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia. Her interests centre on the clinical and social implications of neurodevelopmental diversity, with a special focus on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and factors that help to support strengths and wellbeing. Dr. Flannigan has been working in the FASD field since 2006, as both a researcher and service provider with individuals and families.
Keynote Topic: Working Together to Support People with FASD
Providing support for people with FASD can be rewarding, challenging, and complex. However, by working collaboratively and building strong networks, we can improve our understanding of needs and the quality of our responses. This session will be focused on how we are all connected in supporting people with FASD, and the ways in which we may work together in research and practice to support healthy outcomes across the lifespan. I will share some recent evidence on integrated service delivery for people with FASD, including lessons learned through our ongoing collaborative work at the Canada FASD Research Network. This information will be translated to practical ideas and strategies that can be applied across professions to support children, youth, and adults with FASD and their families.
Breakout Topic: Balancing the Narrative of FASD with Strengths-Based Approaches
For many years, the focus of FASD research has been on difficulties, concerns, and barriers. This deficits-based approach is problematic and can contribute to stigma, stress, and hopelessness for individuals with FASD, their families, and circles of care. Promisingly, there has been a recent shift in conversations about FASD – one that balances strengths, opportunity, and success alongside with the challenges. In this session, I will give an overview of what it means to work from a strengths-based perspective in FASD research and practice and share new findings from research being done at CanFASD to help balance this narrative.
FEATURED SPEAKER
Shannon Butt
Shannon is an artist, certified Yoga Instructor, Reiki Level 1 Practitioner, and self proclaimed forever-student. She insists learning is built into every breath we take, and views her own life as a series of lessons.
Using her schooling, personal studies, and living experience with FASD as her lens, Shannon advocates for putting our mental health, community, and desire to grow as humans, first.
BREAKOUT SPEAKER
Sarah Brown, OT
Sarah Brown is an independent, private-practice, occupational therapist who has been serving Guelph, Wellington and Waterloo regions for 25+ years. She has worked in general pediatrics, seating and mobility services, school and day care consultation with a diversity of needs and challenges. In her pediatric work, Sarah helps children, youth and their families, teachers and caregivers to realize their strengths while finding solutions to the challenges they face. Areas of intervention include functional task assessment and support, equipment prescription and recommendations, sensory processing strategies, and self-regulation skills, using the Self-Reg approach developed by Dr. Stuart Shanker. She brings creativity, compassion and collaboration to each visit, seeking to work with the family and other team members to wrap support around the individual(s) in need. Services are provided in the home with school/childcare consultation also available.
Breakout Topic: Interoception, the Senses and Self-Regulation
Did you know we have 8 senses? Most of us grew up being taught about 5 senses (touch, vision, hearing, smell and taste) but there are 3 other senses that are probably even more important than those basic 5 (vestibular, proprioception and interoception), and those other 3 drive a lot of our sensory behaviour! This talk will explore the 8 senses, especially the so-called “Eighth Sense” of Interoception, the sense that tells us what is happening inside our body. Imagine not feeling the pressure in your bladder that tells you to get to the washroom – now! Or not recognizing that you’re hungry, before you’re hangry! Even more importantly, imagine feeling anxious, angry or disappointed but missing all of the clues your body is giving you to be able to recognize those feelings. Some people have great difficulty with this sense and it very much influences how they behave and regulate through the day. Come and hear how poor interoception might present – and what you can do to help. We will also touch on the Self-Reg approach and where sensory processing fits into this way of thinking about self-regulation and calming.
BREAKOUT SPEAKER
Dr. Mitesh Patel, BSc, MScCH:HPTE, MD, FRCP(C)
Dr. Mitesh Patel brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Youthdale. As an Education Scholar, Dr. Patel has been published widely and holds a Masters of Science in Community Health for Health Practitioner Teacher Education. As one of a few dually qualified Child, Adolescent and Forensic psychiatrists in the country, his unique skills set, encompassing developmental neuropsychiatry, mental health of youth raised in at- risk environments, and youth forensic mental health (criminal responsibility, fitness, and risk assessments) brings an elevated level of specialization to Youthdale. Dr. Patel joined Youthdale as Chief of Psychiatry in July 2023.
Breakout Topic: FASD diagnostic pathways in children accessing formal child welfare services; lessons learned in comorbidity
This discussion will focus upon diagnostic implications of FASD in formalized child welfare settings and approaches taken in Toronto through the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto. Discussions regarding co-morbidity identification and treatment will be reviewed. Lessons learned from treating youth who meet diagnostic criteria in various psychiatric settings will be discussed. Forensic opinions and approaches will also be reviewed. Secure treatment under the CYFSA will also be discussed.
For registration details, please click here…