Transforming the Care of Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder Through Education. Sponsored by ACLP's Pediatric C-L Psychiatry SIG

Saturday, November 12, 2022

9:15 AM – 10:45 AM

Location: Room 204-205

CE: 1.5 CME

Lead Speaker(s)

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Julienne Jacobson, MD

Director Pediatric C/L Psychiatry
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles/USC
Los Angeles, California

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Speaker(s)

Laura Markley, MD, FACLP, FAPA, FAAP

Medical Director of CL Psychiatry and Community Pediatrics Liaison; Pediatrician
Akron Children's Hospital
Akron, Ohio
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Alex Israel, MD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Shelly Kucherer, MD (she/her/hers)

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Western Psychiatric Hospital
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common diagnosis and prevalence rates continue to rise; recent studies show that one in 40 children in the US carry this diagnosis. These patients present to inpatient and outpatient medical settings, interact with others in the community and are aging into the adult population. Patients with ASD have significant challenges due to limited communication abilities, sensory processing difficulties, resistance to change in routine, and difficulty with behavioral regulation. Medical care, or interactions in the community can be stressful, in turn worsening autism related behaviors and aggression and serve to limit patient participation in their care. Patients with autism often have significant medical comorbidities, mortality rates are 2.4 times higher than the general population; with even higher rates in patients with severe intellectual disabilities.

C/L psychiatrists may be consulted when these patients arrive in medical settings, patients suspected of autism may not carry a confirmed diagnosis and psychiatry may be asked to assess further. The C/L Psychiatrist is uniquely placed to both provide education to colleagues and to educate other disciplines on how to best care for these patients in inpatient and outpatient medical settings. C/L Psychiatrists can also work with community agencies to provide education on how to serve this population, as well as educate on how to ensure patients have access to appropriate resources.

This workshop will focus on educating colleagues, particularly adult psychiatrists on how to make and review a diagnosis of autism, best practices in environment management when ASD patients are medically hospitalized, guidance re: how to support outpatient medical visits for patients with ASD, and suggestions on how to educate community partners working with patients with this condition. Finally we will review and update on community resources available for these patients. Discussion on how best to assist families/caregivers, including primary medical doctors in accessing these resources for their patients will be provided.

The workshop will conclude with a review of work necessary to support an adult and aging population of patients with ASD.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees will be able to describe the components of a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and necessary work-up. Updates made to the diagnostic criteria in DSM 5 will be reviewed.
Attendees will learn strategies to help educate both hospital and outpatient clinic staff on how to adjust the clinical environment to fully support patients with autism.
Attendees will be updated on at least 3 community resources available and suggestions for to educate community partners interacting with this patient population, such as law enforcement, will be provided.