International Autism Experts to Speak in Skokie

CHICAGO, Aug. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Internationally-renowned autism experts Dr. Robert Koegel and Dr. Lynn Koegel will present a one-day training on research-based solutions to autism spectrum disorders in Skokie on October 4.  

The doctors are recognized as the developers of Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), one of the few responses to autism that is both comprehensive and empirically supported, as recognized by the National Research Council, the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, and the National Standards Project. Their Koegel Autism Center at the University of California–Santa Barbara has earned acclaim for promoting effective, scientifically-proven behavioral treatments for autism.

The Chicago Area Pivotal Response Treatment Conference will take place at the Doubletree Hotel North Shore in Skokie on Friday, October 4 from 8 AM – 4 PM. The event is designed for educators, parents, and clinicians who seek research-based answers to autism spectrum disorders. Attendees will learn the foundational principles of PRT, including: teaching first words, initiations, socialization, decreasing disruptive behavior, and functional behavior analysis.

In Illinois, the Chicago Children's Clinic is the only agency certified to provide training on PRT. Dr. Rob Daniels, founder and executive director of the clinic, also will speak at the conference, sharing practical lessons on how to use PRT to teach children with autism how to speak their first words and phrases.

"Pivotal Response Treatment is actually very fun for adults and children, and its emphasis on parent training and family involvement is what makes it so successful," said Dr. Daniels. "The research behind this approach has been established over decades. We are thrilled to welcome Bob and Lynn Koegel to the Chicago area because for years we have witnessed the lasting and meaningful results of PRT in our own practice."

By teaching parents and teachers autism treatment strategies that are easy to implement, PRT produces outcomes unmatched in the autism literature. For instance, in a large-scale study of 158 families with a child with autism, every child showed significant improvements in adaptive functioning following PRT intervention.

Online registration for the October 4 conference is available at http://prtconference.eventbrite.com. Attendees will receive Level-1 certification in Pivotal Response Treatment and applicable continuing education units.

SOURCE Chicago Children's Clinic