Course Overview

Neuropsychological research often focuses on impairments and dysfunction (i.e., negative outcomes) associated with neurodevelopmental and acquired brain disorders, overlooking what we might learn from children who do well despite the odds. This conference will reverse this trend by examining recovery and resilience and by identifying factors related to more positive developmental trajectories. The conference faculty include renowned authorities in research and follow-up clinical practice with children who have neurodevelopmental or acquired brain disorders. They will present the latest findings from their research and the broader literature that point to the potential for positive outcomes in these children and that offer clues regarding underlying mechanisms of positive outcomes. A wide range of disorders and potential interventions will be considered. Speakers will also present new approaches for assessing recovery of function and its neural basis. The conference will provide valuable updates on processes that contribute to recovery of function in children as well as practical information on ways to optimize rehabilitation and longer-term educational and behavioral outcomes.

Target Audience

This conference is intended for neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, school psychologists, speech therapists, learning specialists, educators, psychiatrists, neurologists, and other interested health care professionals.

Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity participants should be able to:

• Describe the concepts of neural plasticity, cognitive reserve, and resilience.
• Provide evidence for the utility of these concepts in explaining positive outcomes of neurodevelopmental and acquired brain disorders.
• List current interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disorders and describe evidence for their efficacy.
• Provide examples of how knowledge of recovery of function and environmental influences on outcomes may lead to more effective interventions.
• Summarize technical advances in neuroimaging and how these can be applied to further understanding of the basis of neural plasticity and cognitive reserve.
• Identify ways to enhance the ecological validity of neuropsychological assessment and factors that may explain functional recovery in children with residual cognitive impairments.