VIDEO ONLY: Gifted & Autistic: How do we Know and What do we do? - Megan Helmen, Psy.D., LP 3 CEs

As a field, we are beginning to recognize that we have been “missing” many children with autism, particularly among girls and intellectually gifted individuals. These children are at higher risk for suicidal ideation and victimization, as their significant strengths and difficulties cause misconceptions and make daily life challenging. This talk aims to build on foundational knowledge about autism assessment to help clinicians identify those children we tend to overlook due to subtle observable autistic traits. Twice exceptionality (gifted + disabled) has become a specialty area in my clinical work yet there is a dearth of research on this population. Case review and data from gifted autistic children are reviewed along with examples from my experience assessing children from this fascinating, challenging population who need to be identified and supported. Level of activity: Intermediate Objectives: 1) Examine what (little) research tells us about gifted autistic children. 2) Analyze case examples comparing gifted and gifted + autistic individuals, highlighting important nuances when assessing this population 3) Identify how autistic traits can present in gifted children. 4) Compose recommendations based in research on positive outcomes, neurodiversity-affirming practices, and strength-based approaches.