TOPIC: Autism

As many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism, and that number is on the rise. Autism knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries and will forever change the lives of the children and adults who are affected by it. On the next Health Link we’ll take a look at this complex developmental disability, and discuss its causes, characteristics, and treatments.

GUESTS:

Dr. Kristin V. Christodulu, PhD
Dr. Christodulu is the Director of the Center for Autism & Related Disabilities at the University at Albany. She has extensive clinical and research experience in the field of autism and related disabilities. She is also a licensed psychologist.

Helen Bloomer, M.S., B.C.B.A., S.A.S.
Ms. Bloomer, a board certified behavior analyst, is the founder and executive director of Crossroads. Ms. Bloomer has done extensive work in the field of autism and applied behavior analysis, co-authoring and presenting at numerous conferences throughout the United States and around the world. In addition, she produced the training video series "Bridges" which has helped families and educators throughout the world. She has consulted and trained numerous school districts and private agencies in techniques of applied behavior analysis. Ms. Bloomer and her staff are currently conducting research on the effectiveness of fluency strategies with children with autism. Ms. Bloomer has been a member of the executive board for the New York State Association for Behavior Analysis (NYSABA) for four years. She currently serves as Past President and she was President for the year 2002. Ms. Bloomer was a peer reviewer for New York State Department of Health clinical practice guidelines for autism/pervasive developmental disorders.