On Dec. 4, more than 160 mental health professionals from throughout central Illinois attended the full-day conference Posttraumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents: Assessment and Evidence-Based Treatment. The presenter, Michael S. Scheeringa, MD, MPH, provided a “how-to” approach for working with traumatized children. Attendees received a copy of Dr. Scheeringa’s research-tested diagnostic interview for posttraumatic stress disorder in young children and 12-session manualized protocols for cognitive-behavioral therapy treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder for preschool children and for older children.

Dr. Scheeringa is a recognized world expert on posttraumatic stress disorder in children. He is the Remigio Gonzalez, MD professor of child psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans. He is board certified in both general and child and adolescent psychiatry.

News Channel 20 interviewed Dr. Scheeringa about PTSD and the young victims of the tornado that impacted Gifford and Washington in November. Olivia Massena, lead clinician at MHCCI’s location in Lincoln, also was interviewed and provided signs to look for in case a child is suffering from PTSD.