Introduction to the DAN! Protocol

Dr. Larry Miller’s practice is located in Lansdale, PA. Searching for answers for his own diagnosed son, Sam, is what led Larry Miller to DAN!.  Dr. Miller has been a practicing Osteopath for 10 years and the DAN! protocol for 7 years. His experience with ASD children has been extensive, challenging and extremely rewarding. He believes that we will continue to piece this puzzle together to improve our children’s lives and eradicate the epidemic rise of this challenging condition.

Dr. Miller will be presenting an introduction to DAN! protocol and sharing his advice on both raising a child on the spectrum and balancing everyday family dynamics. 

Come and receive some extra support or to chat all topics related to autism and meet other TACA families

A special night for moms only. Plan your babysitters now ladies, it is going to be a special evening.

Service Dogs and Their Many Uses!

Learn how a service dog can be beneficial in the life of a person with autism. Vicki will be bringing a service dog to do demonstrations at the meeting.

A representative from OCRA will be discussing and explaining how the budget cuts in California will affect Regional Center clients and the programs that they presently pay for or will reimburse parents for. Bring your questions and concerns. It promises to be very informative and instructive.

7575 Carson Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90808
Driving directions

Come and receive some extra support or to chat all topics related to autism and meet other TACA families. Hosted by Julie Ward, mother of two recovered children.

Teaching Pill Swallowing to Children

The parent-oriented presentation Teaching Pill Swallowing to Children is geared to demonstrate a scientifically-researched method to get children to swallow oral medication. This two-hour, interactive session looks at the difficulties families experience when a child is unable or unwilling to adhere to a medical regimen.

Basic behavioral principles are reviewed and applied toward the teaching of pill swallowing. Participants will be taught to discriminate between a child’s non-compliance versus skill deficits, and to recognize how the environment around the child can be altered to encourage pill swallowing. Child specific solutions will be described in detail so that they can be carried out at home.

These methods have not only been shown to be effective in person, but also through the use of telemedicine. Families who desire to conduct therapy via telemedicine are encouraged to contact CARD S.O.S. at 818-345-2345 ext 268 to learn more about this possibility.

Katharine Gutshall is currently the Managing Supervisor of the Specialized Outpatient Services at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders. Ms. Gutshall has worked in a variety of positions in the field of behavior analysis, including applied research and clinical work; with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, of all ages, and their families and care providers.

Her career involved positions at both the Marcus Institute (now the Marcus Autism Center) and the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Ms. Gutshall is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and she received her MA with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County under the mentorship of Dr. A. Charles Catania. Throughout her career, Ms. Gutshall has been actively engaged in research in applied behavior analysis and has published research articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Ms. Gutshall has taught for the University of Nevada, Reno’s BCBA track as well as at California State University, Los Angeles’ Masters program in Applied Behavior Analysis. Ms. Gutshall’s current research interests include pediatric feeding disorders and reduction of problem behavior.

Resilience in the face of an Autism Spectrum Disorder

In this talk, we will examine how families can remain resilient in the face of an Autism Spectrum Disorder. A diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum throws the entire family system into chaos and causes family members, especially parents, to experience a complex set of feelings including grief, loss, anger, and denial (sometimes all in the same day!) We will examine this range of emotions as well as the powerful identity shifts that mothers and fathers experience. We will also discuss the importance of "emotional maintenance work" in maintaining key relationships and managing the dynamic shifts in those relationships.

Dr. Alexandra Solomon is a licensed clinical psychologist and a clinical lecturer at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. She has expertise in marriage and family therapy, and she speaks and writes nationally about how families can stay strong in the face of an Autism Spectrum Disorder. She recently published an article in the award winning magazine, Psychotherapy Networker, and she is working on a book proposal. She is the mother of two children, Brian who is 7 years old and has an Asperger's diagnosis, and Courtney who is 5 years old and is neurotypical.

Surviving the Holidays

Holiday gift ideas, gfcf recipes, tips for travelling and much more. A drawing will be held for door prizes!