“Focusing on Child Strengths in Autism," with Renae Beaumont, PhD and Kelly Wilson, Parent Advocate. A lively conversation with Dr. Beaumont about how, in child behavioral and developmental delay, recognizing and working with the child’s strengths can be an effective foundation for a more successful life. She describes the experiences she has had with amazing autistic kids who inspired her to make this her life’s work, and talks with us about how accommodations for kids with developmental differences can mean more than expecting them to adapt to the world around them; in many ways, the world can also benefit from adapting itself to see and celebrate the contributions of people with autism and other developmental delays. She also talks about her work with the Secret Agent Society, a therapeutic program for boosting emotion-regulation and social connectedness skills. Dr. Beaumont is a licensed clinical psychologist and an Assistant Professor of Psychology in Clinical Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine.

In childhood behavioral and developmental delay, Don’t Just ‘Wait and See’ with Judith Aronson-Ramos, MD and Kelly Wilson, Parent Advocate. Dr. Aronson-Ramos gives us first hand insights into the current crisis in child behavioral and developmental health and the reasons behind it, namely, long waitlists and a shortage of specialists. She also shares with us what drives her passion for getting kids diagnosed as early as possible (when interventions can do the most good). We talk about how the healthcare community can better educate, empower, and support primary care pediatricians to join in the effort to assess and care for the thousands of kids who are waiting for a diagnosis, and hopefully help alleviate the waitlist crisis. Dr. Aronson-Ramos has been in pediatric practice for 30 years and is a huge advocate for using technology, including telemedicine and Canvas Dx, to make diagnosis more equitable and efficient.

“In childhood behavioral and developmental delay, What Happens After Diagnosis?”--a conversation with Colleen Kraft, MD, MBA, FAAP and Kelly Wilson, Parent Advocate. An informative discussion with Dr. Kraft about how clinicians can partner with families in treatment planning for children with behavioral and developmental delays. This conversation offers a detailed overview of the role of the primary care pediatrician as a guide and “medical home” for families of children with behavioral and developmental delays, as well as the types of therapy and referrals available, the different intervention systems and resources available, and leveraging a child’s strengths to guide their journey through challenges. Dr. Kraft is a pediatric specialist at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and is Past President of the American Academy of Pediatrics.