The Importance of Early Identification and Diagnosis of Neurodivergent Conditions for Children

This week on the podcast Monique interviews the incredible Associate Professor Josephine Barbaro. Josie is a late identified Autistic ADHDer. She is a Principal Research Fellow and Psychologist at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne. She is the Research Director of Identification and Diagnosis of Autism, and Clinical Director of the Victorian Early Assessment Clinic, providing neuro-affirming, transdisciplinary assessments for neurodivergence in children under 3 years. Josie’s research interests are in the early identification and diagnosis of Autism, family health and well-being following a diagnosis, and Neurodiversity Affirming research and practice.

In this episode Monique and Josie cover:

• Josie’s path to understanding her own neurodivergence.
• The heritability of neurodivergence and the importance of taking a whole-family approach to supporting neurodivergent kids.
• Josie’s work on early identification of Autism and the development of the SACS early identification screening tool and the ASDectect app.
• Josie’s research and work into closing the gender gap in early diagnosis of Autism.
• Why early identification is so important and addressing concerns parents can have around ‘labelling’.
• How to share a diagnosis of Autism with your child.
• Debunking the myths around overdiagnosis of Autism.

Things we mentioned:

• The Victorian Early Assessment Clinic.
• The SACS early identification screening tool training
• The ASDectect app
• Conversation article co-written by Josie and Marie Camin on talking to your child about their diagnosis. 
• Conversation article co-written by Josie and Dr Nancy Sadka debunking the myth around overdiagnosis of Autism. 
• Books to use as a conversation starter to introduce neurodivergence to a child include The Brain Forest and The Rainbow Brain, both by Sandyha Menon, and Round World Square Me by Chelsea Luker. 

You can contact Josie via email at veac@latrobe.edu.au or find her on her socials here.

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