This conference is hosted by Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy.
ESSENCE stands for EarlySymptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental ClinicalExaminations. The term was coined by Christopher Gillberg in order to draw attention to the very early onset of neurodevelopment symptoms that signal the need for early diagnosis and intervention. ESSENCE includes symptoms and disorders that are included under labels such as autism, ADHD, learning disability, speech and language disorder, dyslexia, developmental coordination disorder, tic disorders, reactive attachment disorder and behavioral phenotype syndromes (such as fragile X, 22q11 deletion syndrome, tuberous sclerosis and fetal alcohol syndrome). These conditions all overlap with each other, and if a child (or adult) is diagnosed with one of them, he/she will need to be screened for all the others in the ESSENCE group.
In April 2018, more than 30 international experts from Christopher Gillberg’s large network will come together to offer the very latest in the field of ESSENCE. Everyone attending will come away from this big event feeling energised with new knowledge as to how to discover, assess and intervene in neurodevelopment disorders. If you have attended any of the big Social Brain conferences in Gothenburg or Glasgow (and even if you have not!), ESSENCE 2018 is a must for you (or for anyone working in the field of neurodevelopment, be it child or adult services).