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Friday, August 12, 2022
Saturday, July 30, 2022
Developmental Disabilities Intervention: Right Care, Right Time, Right People, Right Context.
I wrote this in a previous capacity before the pandemic was declaired. You may find some of the information useful and enlightening.
Developmental Disabilities Intervention:
Right Care, Right Time, Right People, Right Context.
“When we speak of ideal health care that we
want to receive or that providers aim to deliver, the phrase that jumps to mind
is: “the right care, the right place, the right time.” This phrase in this context is so ubiquitous
that tracing its origin is nearly impossible, but it does roll off the tongue
easily and captures the concept accurately.
Perhaps because of how easy it is to say and remember, the difficulty of
actually delivering care that meets this standard has been trivialized by those
who do not actually provide health care.”
John R. Brumsted, MD: President and Chief Executive Officer of the
University of Vermont Medical Center
Purpose
Expand the capacity of children’s
developmental disability intervention services in Idaho so that every child/family
in the state who qualifies, needs, and wants the services, can receive quality
services in a timely manner.
Problems
1. Millions
of dollars are spent annually on less effective interventions while hundreds of
Idaho’s children and youth who need quality intervention, go without.
2. Many
children/youth go on long waiting lists to receive services, often for well
over six months before receiving services.
3. Most
of the children/youth we serve in the more rural areas of Idaho never receive
intervention services beyond the Infant Toddler Program (other than through the
school).
4. Many
of the more difficult children/youth do not receive intervention or it is
extremely limited. Those who have
services, are frequently terminated.
5. Services
are often provided without fidelity to research while billed as evidence based
practice.
6. Children/youth/families
are often not receiving the potential benefit from services.
7. Many
if not most providers do not have the additional requisite skills to coach
parents/natural caregivers.
8. Our
current system is not well prepared in the eventuality of a pandemic.
Solution Summary
1. Financially
incentivize the right care, at the right time, in the right place, with the
right people, in the right context.
2. Financially
incentivize service provision for the children/youth with the greatest needs.
3. Allow
robust telehealth options for intervention.
Question
Are we as a state incentivizing the right
care, at the right time, with involvement of the right people? Is intervention contextualized?
What does the research say?
There are two primary models of intervention
for ASD: Behavioral and Developmental; however, as Tristram Smith related
before his passing, the two are converging.
One example of this convergence is The Early Start Denver Model. (1)
The Early Start Denver Model has been
replicated multiple times around the world to include through telehealth. This
has occurred in the United States and verifiably effective aspects have been
made available through the internet in less prosperous countries.
See examples in references: (2) (3) (4) and
(5)
While ABA is well researched and sometimes
considered the “gold standard” for intervention for children/youth with Autism,
a recent report The Department of Defense Comprehensive Autism Care
Demonstration Quarterly Report to Congress Second Quarter, Fiscal Year 2019
found very poor results from ABA for the children served through TriCare. (Incidentally, TriCare is now supporting and
paying for P.L.A.Y. for children with ASD.)
Is the fault ABA or is the fault a defective delivery? Were providers providing the right care, in
the right place, at the right time, and including the right people? Was it contextualized? Were services delivered in natural
environments during natural routines?
Did services include natural caretakers?
Because of the solid research supporting ABA to include EIBI (Early
Intensive Behavioral Intervention) and the known benefits when provided with
fidelity, one can make the assumption that in the case of some or many of
TriCare providers, it was not provided with fidelity.
In the abstract for: O. Ivar Lovaas:
Pioneer of Applied Behavior Analysis and Intervention for Children with Autism
Tristram Smith & Svein Eikeseth, (6) state:
“O. Ivar Lovaas (1927–2010) devoted nearly half a century to ground-breaking
research and practice aimed at improving the lives of children with autism and
their families. In the 1960s, he pioneered applied behavior analytic (ABA)
interventions to decrease severe challenging behaviors and establish
communicative language. Later, he sought to improve outcomes by emphasizing early intervention for
preschoolers with autism, provided in family homes with active parental
participation. His studies indicated that many children who received
early intensive ABA made dramatic gains in development. Lovaas also
disseminated ABA widely through intervention manuals, educational films, and
public speaking. Moreover, as an enthusiastic teacher and devoted mentor, he
inspired many students and colleagues to enter the field of ABA and autism
intervention.”
Most
of the evidence for ASD intervention includes home based and involves parents/natural
caretakers in the natural environment of the child/youth and during the natural
routines. When someone speaks of
research demonstrating the importance of 30 or 40 hours a week of intervention,
if you read the actual research, it almost if not always, includes significant
parental involvement, natural environments, and natural routines. Why?
Because children, (and we too,) respond to contextualized cues in our
natural environment and natural routine.
Have you ever driven somewhere and realized you did not remember part of
the drive? (Not recommended.) Have you
ever purchased or ate something out of habit?
We all respond to naturally occurring cues. These cues simply cannot be fully or even
close to fully replicated in a center. These
cues often include naturally occurring circadic and ultradic rhythms, satiation
from eating, sensory from touch, humidity, smells, sight, sound, routines,
etc. The naturally occurring cues in a
home around a bedtime routine are in the hundreds. They cannot be replicated
outside of the natural environment and natural routine. For most of the children/youth we serve,
while their behavior may change in the provider setting, those changes are
difficult to generalize because the provider cannot duplicate the naturally
occurring cues, to include the parent.
See also: INTENSIVE HOME-BASED EARLY
INTERVENTION WITH AUTISTIC CHILDREN (7)
Researchers are becoming more and more aware
of the need for contextualized intervention, and some, such as Sally Rogers,
are becoming more vocal about the need. In
a recent presentation at the UC Davis Mind Institute, Sally Rogers, Ph.D.,
commented: ‘We need to
stop training children and start training parents.’ (8)
Home Based Developmental Interventions
Developmental interventions have been widely
researched, accepted, and provide positive outcomes. For example:
P.L.A.Y. (9) An interesting note, P.L.A.Y.
has demonstrated better progress for lower functioning, more severely impacted
children with ASD than other peer reviewed, journal published models.
JASPER (UCLA) (10)
PACT (UK) (11) PACT is well researched and well accepted in
the United Kingdom.
And in general: Effect of Parent Training
vs Parent Education on Behavioral Problems in Children With Autism Spectrum
Disorder A Randomized Clinical Trial (12)
Why are natural environments and natural
routines essential for evidence-based practice intervention?
Research
has clearly shown that interventions in the natural environments, during the
natural routine, and including natural caretakers is the most impactful for
children. Inclusion and the best
opportunity for a “best life” are part of the reason, but there is more, it is the
science of habits and contextualization, which will be discussed later.
See
references: (12) & (13)
Are
we really helping children/youth/families achieve their Best Life?” (14)
Can
a “best life” be achieved through center-based intervention?
Required by law… and strongly encouraged
As
we are all aware, natural environments are required by law for Part C of IDEA
and routine based interventions have long been emphasized.
See
references: (15) (16) (17)
and:
Family Guided Routines Based Intervention (FGRBI) and
Caregiver Coaching (18)
While
the ages often identified here are birth to five, the same theoretical
framework applies to a ten-year-old and a fifteen-year-old, etc.
The
Infant Toddle Program in Idaho, as required by law, has been strongly moving in
this direction for many years through Evidence Based Practices in the natural
environment, during the natural routine, and provided by parents and natural
caregivers through coaching (contextualization). We are building the right foundation in the
Infant Toddler Program. We need to further
solidify the foundation and build the next floors. Older children (and adults) need
contextualized intervention. For the
Infant Toddler Program, this paradigm shift has recently included P.L.A.Y. as
an effective intervention, which is creating excitement because of the positive
recognizable results.
Habits
Habits
control anywhere from 40 to 90% of our behavior depending upon: cognitive
functioning, stress, fatigue, and substances such as alcohol. This is crucial because habits are contextually
cue dependent. A cue in a clinic or
center is not the same as a cue in the home, natural environment, during
natural routines, and with natural caretakers. Take a sleep deprived child (and consequently
parent), the cues surrounding sleep in the home, at night, in the family
setting, are significantly different from the “sleep” cues in a center in the
middle of the afternoon. There are
literally hundreds of cues associated with the bedtime routine for a typical
child/adult.
Some
research has determined that habits form approximately 43% of behavior for most
humans. (19) However,
for many, habits direct the majority of behavior. Habits are primarily formed and directed by
the basil ganglia. Many with deficits affecting the cerebral cortex, have well-functioning
basil ganglion and are significantly more driven by habits. For example: individuals who have been
addicted to alcohol, typically have altered brain chemistry, even if not still
drinking and are significantly more directed by habit. (20) It is similar for many of the children we
work with. The research on developmental disabilities and
habitual behavior is extensive and can be easily found through a search
with those key words on google scholar.
“The
basal ganglia are involved in cognition and emotion and play an important role
in 'reward and reinforcement' of behavior, 'response to a stimulus', addictive
behavior and habit formation.” (21)
Habits
are cue dependent. The vast majority of
cues which press or compel us to do things occur during our natural routines
and in our natural environment, to include natural caretakers and supports. They are contextualized and contextually
dependent. To attempt to significantly
alter behavior across environments without addressing naturally occurring cues,
is often futile over time.
What is the answer now?
Incentivize
providers to provide contextualized intervention in the right place, at the
right time, and involve the natural caretakers.
Incentivize providers to provide services to the most at-risk children
and youth as identified by adjudication (or charges) as a risk to the
community.
Provide:
5%
increase for providing services off hours (between 6:00 P.M. and 8:00 A.M. and
on weekends).
5%
increase for providing services in the natural environment, during the natural
routine, and coaching natural caretakers
10%
increase for providing services to the most at-risk children and youth as
identified just above.
In
addition:
While
telehealth intervention may not be an immediate answer, because it would
require systemic and rule changes, it is evidence based, it is effective, it
will reach most of our more rural families, and there are out of state
providers “waiting in the wings” right now, anxious to provide the service in
Idaho. Telehealth is a paradigm shift
for many in Idaho; however, it has been successful in the medical area and is
demonstrating good results in delivering Speech, Physical Therapy, and
Occupational Therapy on a limited basis.
We should be moving in this direction planfully, but as quickly as
possible.
Were
the above incentivization provided and rules changes to allow for telehealth
for intervention we would dramatically increase service capacity and
availability throughout Idaho. We would
make services available to the children/youth/families most in need.
Cost
Because
this will require travel, there will be less billable time. Because the right care will be provided at
the right time, in the right place, and involve the right people, overall long-term
costs will be reduced significantly if services are provided with fidelity. There have been multiple studies that demonstrate
this in both the medical as well as the developmental disabilities fields.
See
references: (22) (23) & (24)
If
we do not, when we do not, provide intervention in the right place, at the
right time, to include the right people, we must often provide significantly
more expensive interventions through either juvenile corrections or Medicaid
paid placement, typically through EPSDT.
Unfortunately, the long-term results from these more expensive
interventions, often have not, provided the outcomes for the youth or family
that we or they might wish.
In
a time of limited capacity and funding, the benefit of parent coaching, parent
directed intervention, cannot, should not be overlooked.
For
example: P.L.A.Y. is provided at a
fraction of the cost of the amount typically spent on most young children with
ASD in the United States. Other
developmental or hybrid developmental/behavioral programs, which are also
evidence based, can be provided at a fraction of the cost and provide
demonstrable results.
Conclusion
We
have created a system where the easiest children often receive the most
services in the wrong place. Many if not
most providers will take the path of least resistance (easiest) and most
profit. Many providers are providing
services exclusively or almost exclusively in centers/clinics, billing for and
calling it evidence based. There is no
current research that supports this.
Going all the way back to the Lovaas research, he emphasized work in the
home with the parents. Subsequent ABA
research did the same. If you look at
the actual original research on the Even Start Denver Model (ESDM), time spent
by the parent was virtually the same as the time spent by the
professional. Subsequent ESDM related
research has relied even more heavily on parents. Today, most evidence based developmental interventions
used in the United States and around the world rely extensively or primarily on
parents to provide the actual intervention, with professional coaching.
We
do not have the capacity to provide the services needed by the children in
Idaho. Without very significant budget
increases and significant increases to Medicaid spending, we will not catch up
to or keep up with the demand. Coaching
parents/natural caregivers is the best way to bridge this gap. Incentivizing this model is the most
effective way we have to get there. This
is not easy work. It requires different
skills to work with a parent/family in the home or community, then to work with
a 4-year-old (or any age child/youth) in the center. Without a strong financial incentive, most
providers will not make this essential change in their service delivery. They will not make the effort to learn the
requisite skills.
ABA
is evidence based and effective if provided with fidelity to the model, contextualized
in natural environments, during natural routines, and including natural
caretakers. However, as Prizant asked in
his article (and others) Treatment Options and Parent Choice Is ABA the Only
Way? (25) ABA is not the only way. It can be effective when delivered correctly;
however, it is often more expensive, requires more professional hours per
child, limiting service capacity.
References
(1) Randomized, Controlled Trial of an
Intervention for Toddlers With Autism: The Early Start Denver Model Geraldine
Dawson, Sally Rogers, Jeffrey Munson, Milani Smith, Jamie Winter, Jessica
Greenson, Amy Donaldson and Jennifer Varley Pediatrics, January 2010, 125 (1)
e17-e23; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-0958
(2) Delivery of Group-Early Start Denver
Model in an Australian early childhood setting https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6ec9/027da6d65f2366cc9404d0b92a857236300e.pdf
(3) Telehealth Parent Training in the Early
Start Denver Model: Results From a Randomized Controlled Study Laurie A.
Vismara, PhD, Carolyn E. B. McCormick, PhD et al Focus on Autism and Other
Developmental Disabilities May 26, 2016
(4) Implementation of the Early Start Denver
Model in an Italian community Costanza Colombi, Antonio Narzisi et al Autism October 20, 2016
(5) Extending the Parent-Delivered Early
Start Denver Model to Young Children with Fragile X Syndrome Laurie A. Vismara,
Carolyn E. B. McCormick, Rebecca Shields & David Hessl https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-018-3833-1
(6) O. Ivar Lovaas: Pioneer of Applied
Behavior Analysis and Intervention for Children with Autism Tristram Smith
& Svein Eikeseth, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders volume 41,
pages375–378(2011) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-010-1162-0
(7) INTENSIVE HOME-BASED EARLY INTERVENTION
WITH AUTISTIC CHILDREN Stephen R. Anderson, Debra L. Avery, Ellette K.
DiPietro, Glynnis L. Edwards and Walter P. Christian Education and Treatment of
Children Vol. 10, No. 4, SPECIAL ISSUE: New Developments in the Treatment of
Persons Exhibiting Autism and Severe Behavior Disorders (NOVEMBER 1987), pp.
352-366
(8) Sally Rogers, Ph.D. with the UC Davis
Mind Institute recently stated in her presentation: Innovations in early
intervention for ASD: new findings, new tools, and new methods: ‘We need to
stop training children and start training parents.’ 2019-20 Distinguished Lecturer Series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K62E4K9B6cs&t=4718s
(9) P.L.A.Y. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4181375/
(10) JASPER (UCLA) http://www.kasarilab.org/treatments/jasper/
(11) PACT
(UK) http://research.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/pact/about
& https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673616312296
(12) Effect of
Parent Training vs Parent Education on Behavioral Problems in Children With
Autism Spectrum Disorder A Randomized Clinical Trial
Karen Bearss, PhD; Cynthia Johnson, PhD;
Tristram Smith, PhD; et al JAMA. 2015;313(15):1524-1533.
doi:10.1001/jama.2015.3150 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2275445
(12) http://www.eiexcellence.org/evidence-based-practices/natural-environments/
(13) https://leader.pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/leader.FTR2.13042008.14
(14) https://www.lifecoursetools.com/
(15) https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/ei.index.htm
(16) http://eieio.ua.edu/routines-based-model.html
(17) https://www.pacer.org/ec/early-intervention/natural-environments.asp
(18) Family Guided Routines Based
Intervention (FGRBI) and Caregiver Coaching Florida State University http://fgrbi.fsu.edu/
(19) Habits in everyday life: Thought,
emotion, and action. Wood,
Wendy,Quinn, Jeffrey M.,Kashy, Deborah A. Wood, W., Quinn, J. M., & Kashy,
D. A. (2002). Habits in everyday life: Thought, emotion, and action. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 83(6), 1281–1297. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.83.6.1281
(20) https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh314/340-344.htm
(21) https://www.braininjury-explanation.com/consequences/impact-by-brain-area/basal-ganglia
(22) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0890856717303131
(24) https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2583518
(25) http://barryprizant.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/asq5_aba_only_way_part_2_spring_2009.pdf
Additional
Thoughts:
Parental
Coaching:
Provides:
1. Greater
self-efficacy for the parent
2. Reduces
parental stress
3. Provides
for improved skills and behavior for the child through naturalistic
interventions.
4. Evidence
based
Telehealth:
1. Provides
for a safe interaction when there is a concern of a transmission of
illness. This would include during a
pandemic as well as if the health/immune system of the child/parent is particularly
fragile (which is fairly common)
2. There
are providers who are experienced, ready and willing to provide this service in
Idaho right now (we need to allow qualified providers to provide intervention
without a physical location in Idaho)
3. Facilitates
easier provision of services in rural areas.
4. Would
eliminate the waiting lists if we allowed out of state providers.
5. Allows
for healthy social distancing when necessary.
6. Evidence
based
Additional
Video Resources/Information:
Telehealth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmRhAgXCO8w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNmVcJjvR3k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KpQh8A3AsM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsHXNTkif7w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REMUaaQHJ5I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REMUaaQHJ5I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQO9aog3A3U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c23GwTuUeqo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeTgpdJ6Or8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GAHmiI1K64
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyqZMeGY8j4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMxS6D6oxmI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vHWbPMOznM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K62E4K9B6cs
Influencing/helping
parents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH8XTwLOoVk
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Oxytocin may help some people with autism
This is really old news, but another study/finding. To read the article, click here.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
Breastfeeding your baby could protect them from autism, new study says: Express UK
"The shocking research has found breastfeeding could boost social behaviour in children born with a genetic predisposition to autism.
The findings suggest that a chemical passed from mother to child in breast milk could help protect babies from the behavioural disorder."
Click here to read the rest of the article.
The findings suggest that a chemical passed from mother to child in breast milk could help protect babies from the behavioural disorder."
Click here to read the rest of the article.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Vasopressin Emerges as a Hormone of Interest in Autism Research: Scientific American
"Ask a physician what the hormone vasopressin is good for, and she will explain that it regulates the volume of water in your body and also affects blood pressure. But since the 1990s, vasopressin has been a hot topic in a very different field: social behavior. And recently it has emerged as a possible target for treating autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which are characterized by social, behavioral and communication impairments. The research is still in early stages, however, and has yielded more questions than answers."
Click here to read the rest of the article.
Click here to read the rest of the article.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Scientists pinpoint how a single genetic mutation causes autism
Scientists pinpoint how a single genetic mutation causes autism: Published today in the journal Cell, the research shows that an enzyme called UBE3A can be switched off when a phosphate molecule is tacked onto UBE3A. In neurons and during normal brain development, this switch can be turned off and on, leading to tight regulation of UBE3A. But a research team led by Mark Zylka, PhD, associate professor of cell biology and physiology, found that an autism-linked mutation destroys this regulatory switch. Destruction of the switch creates an enzyme that cannot be turned off. As a result, UBE3A becomes hyperactive and drives abnormal brain development and autism.
Rep Begs Congress: Investigate Vaccine-Autism Link Coverup
Rep Begs Congress: Investigate Vaccine-Autism Link Coverup: Last summer, a senior epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control, admitted that he had helped the CDC hide data from a study that linked the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism. Although the official study said no link was found, Dr. William Thompson said the study actually found that giving a child the vaccine before the age of 36 months increased the risk of autism by 69 percent, and giving it to an African-American child increased the risk of autism by 240 percent.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Autism Cost In America Could Reach $1 Trillion In 10 Years
Autism Cost In America Could Reach $1 Trillion In 10 Years: The cost of caring for autism in the United States could hit the $1 trillion mark in another 10 years, if the disorder continued to prevail at the current rate, the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), researchers said.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Girls with mild autism prone to severe epilepsy
Girls with autism are nearly three times as likely as boys with the disorder to have severe epilepsy that responds poorly to medication1.
The findings, published 26 June in Autism Research, add a twist to one of the biggest conundrums in autism: its 4-to-1 ratio of boys to girls. Research suggests that girls are somehow protected from autism-linked mutations. The new study hints that these mutations also lead to treatment-resistant epilepsy.
Click here for the rest of the article.
The findings, published 26 June in Autism Research, add a twist to one of the biggest conundrums in autism: its 4-to-1 ratio of boys to girls. Research suggests that girls are somehow protected from autism-linked mutations. The new study hints that these mutations also lead to treatment-resistant epilepsy.
Click here for the rest of the article.
CDC Should Admit Coverup of Vaccine-Autism Link: Top Doctor
CDC Should Admit Coverup of Vaccine-Autism Link: Top Doctor: Last summer, Dr. William Thompson, a senior epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control, admitted that he had helped the CDC hide data from a study which linked the MMR vaccine to autism. Holistic doctor David Brownstein tells Newsmax Health the CDC is still not owning up to Dr. Thompson's charges that they found data that links the vaccine to a spike in autism. "The CDC is still not coming clean," Dr. Brownstein says. "They want to keep it quiet, but it's time the cover-up ended."
CDC Should Admit Coverup of Vaccine-Autism Link: Top Doctor
CDC Should Admit Coverup of Vaccine-Autism Link: Top Doctor: Last summer, Dr. William Thompson, a senior epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control, admitted that he had helped the CDC hide data from a study which linked the MMR vaccine to autism. Holistic doctor David Brownstein tells Newsmax Health the CDC is still not owning up to Dr. Thompson's charges that they found data that links the vaccine to a spike in autism. "The CDC is still not coming clean," Dr. Brownstein says. "They want to keep it quiet, but it's time the cover-up ended."
Study suggests potential way to predict autism or psychosis risk in children with genetic abnormality
Study suggests potential way to predict autism or psychosis risk in children with genetic abnormality: New findings by researchers at UCLA and the University of Pittsburgh are the first to suggest a potential way to make that determination. In a study published in PLOS One, the researchers report having isolated specific genetic differences between people with the chromosomal deletion — known as 22q11.2 deletion syndrome or DiGeorge syndrome — who have autism and those who have psychosis.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Interpreting body language is no problem for kids with autism
The finding challenges the commonly held notion that children with autism have difficulty reading emotions. This may have arisen from studies focusing on whether people with the condition can interpret emotions from just the face or eyes, says Candida Peterson at the University of Queensland in Australia.
Click here for the rest of the article.
Click here for the rest of the article.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Shriners doing autism study using diet | More Local News - KITV Home
Shriners doing autism study using diet | More Local News - KITV Home: a pioneering study is being done right here at the Shriners Hospital for Children to see if a diet can make a difference. They are calling for more to take part.
Could early infant screening and intervention help prevent autism?
Could early infant screening and intervention help prevent autism?: Among the many available therapies and early interventions for children with autism, only a few are backed up with solid scientific evidence. But here’s some good news: recently, the quality of autism early intervention research has improved significantly.
A number of randomised controlled trials – the gold standard scientific method for testing whether a treatment works – show various parent-training and therapist-delivered interventions can help young children with autism to build skills for social communication and independent living.
A number of randomised controlled trials – the gold standard scientific method for testing whether a treatment works – show various parent-training and therapist-delivered interventions can help young children with autism to build skills for social communication and independent living.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Small test may diagnose autism, research suggests : MEDICINE & HEALTH : Science Times
Small test may diagnose autism, research suggests : MEDICINE & HEALTH : Science Times: A person with autism may be diagnosed with a smell test, a study suggests.
Normal individuals respond to pleasant smell by taking a deep breath, while for bad odor, they are more likely to limit their breathing. Researchers, however, discovered that autistic children do not react to any at all. In fact, those with autism show different sniffing patterns than normal children.
"We can identify autism and its severity with meaningful accuracy within less than 10 minutes using a test that is completely non-verbal and entails no task to follow," Noam Sobel, who works for Weizmann Institute of Science, and a principal researcher of the study.
Normal individuals respond to pleasant smell by taking a deep breath, while for bad odor, they are more likely to limit their breathing. Researchers, however, discovered that autistic children do not react to any at all. In fact, those with autism show different sniffing patterns than normal children.
"We can identify autism and its severity with meaningful accuracy within less than 10 minutes using a test that is completely non-verbal and entails no task to follow," Noam Sobel, who works for Weizmann Institute of Science, and a principal researcher of the study.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Autism symptoms may be helped by diabetic diet | UTSanDiego.com
Autism symptoms may be helped by diabetic diet | UTSanDiego.com:
"While genetic influences predispose certain people to autism, the environment helps determine how the symptoms manifest."
The study by Salk Institute scientists found that the brains of mice fed diets with a high glycemic index accumulated more activated immune cells called microglia, along with signs of inflammation. The mice also exhibited more autistic type behaviors, such as impaired social interactions, and apparently purposeless activities
"While genetic influences predispose certain people to autism, the environment helps determine how the symptoms manifest."
The study by Salk Institute scientists found that the brains of mice fed diets with a high glycemic index accumulated more activated immune cells called microglia, along with signs of inflammation. The mice also exhibited more autistic type behaviors, such as impaired social interactions, and apparently purposeless activities
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Robot helps children with autism by teaching them social skills | FOX31 Denver
Robot helps children with autism by teaching them social skills | FOX31 Denver: It’s therapy like you’ve never seen before and he’s not your traditional therapist.
NAO moves, talks and even dances the macarena; he even knows some more recent hits like Gangnam Style.
NAO moves, talks and even dances the macarena; he even knows some more recent hits like Gangnam Style.
Early intervention improves long-term outcomes for children with autism | EurekAlert! Science News
Early intervention improves long-term outcomes for children with autism | EurekAlert! Science News: The study is the first in more than 20 years to look at long-term outcomes after early intensive autism intervention. The therapy began when children were 18 to 30 months of age and involved therapists and parents working with the toddlers in their homes for more than 15 hours each week for two years.
Low glycemic index diet reduces symptoms of autism in mice
Low glycemic index diet reduces symptoms of autism in mice: New research in a mouse model of autism showed that such low glycemic index diets, similar to the plans that people with diabetes follow to keep their blood sugar in check, reduced symptoms of the disorder in mice. Although preliminary and not yet tested in humans, the findings, published June 9 in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, might offer clues to understanding one potential cause of autism.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Autism Best Treated in a Stable and Predictable Environment, Study Says
Almost 15 years ago I attended a two week seminar on the brain at the U of WA.
At that time they talked about autism often being a disorder of too much information and not enough neural pruning when it is supposed to occur, starting around age 10 (for at least some kids) so that piece of this is really not new.
The importance of consistence and the home environment is of course, also not new.
Good article though. Click on the link below for the rest of the article.
Autism Best Treated in a Stable and Predictable Environment, Study Says: So holds the Intense World Theory of autism, proposedby Kamila and Henry Markram in 2007. It contends that people with autismdon’t have an underdeveloped brain but rather an overdeveloped one.
New research released today in Frontiersin Neuroscience lends considerable weight to this theory. It also concludesthat predictability can significantly help those with autism explore theirintense world.
At that time they talked about autism often being a disorder of too much information and not enough neural pruning when it is supposed to occur, starting around age 10 (for at least some kids) so that piece of this is really not new.
The importance of consistence and the home environment is of course, also not new.
Good article though. Click on the link below for the rest of the article.
Autism Best Treated in a Stable and Predictable Environment, Study Says: So holds the Intense World Theory of autism, proposedby Kamila and Henry Markram in 2007. It contends that people with autismdon’t have an underdeveloped brain but rather an overdeveloped one.
New research released today in Frontiersin Neuroscience lends considerable weight to this theory. It also concludesthat predictability can significantly help those with autism explore theirintense world.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Study Sheds New Light on Brain Anatomy of Girls with Autism
Study Sheds New Light on Brain Anatomy of Girls with Autism: Researchers say there is a big difference in brain anatomy between girls with autism and girls without autism. This may also explain why their symptoms are more severe than boys.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
What If There Is No Autism Epidemic? - The Daily Beast
What If There Is No Autism Epidemic? - The Daily Beast: Swedish researchers suggest that outside factors, from diagnosis to socioeconomics, may have inflated reports that suggest rates of autism are spiking.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s March 2014 report showing a 30 percent rise in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) over the span of a few years triggered widespread concern over one simple question: what is the cause?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s March 2014 report showing a 30 percent rise in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) over the span of a few years triggered widespread concern over one simple question: what is the cause?
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Autism Tied to Multiple Births After Fertility Treatments | Psych Central News
Autism Tied to Multiple Births After Fertility Treatments | Psych Central News: A new paper reports the incidence of diagnosed autism was twice as high for assisted reproductive technology (ART) as non-ART births in a California study.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Mindful Parenting Decreases Aggression, Noncompliance, and Self-Injury in Children With Autism
Mindful Parenting Decreases Aggression, Noncompliance, and Self-Injury in Children With Autism: Parent—child transactions provide an important social context for the development of adaptive and problem behaviors in young children with autism.Teaching parents to develop alternative transactional pathways often leads to positive behavioral patterns in their children.We taught three parents the philosophy and practice of mindfulness in a 12-week course and assessed the outcome of the training on their children's behavior. In addition, the mothers rated satisfaction with their parenting skills and interactions with their children. Results showed that the mothers' mindful parenting decreased their children's aggression, noncompliance, and self-injury and increased the mothers' satisfaction with their parenting skills and interactions with their children.We speculated on the possible reasons for the efficacy of mindful parenting in decreasing the children's problem behaviors without the application of specific, programmed contingencies for the children's behavior.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Causes Of Autism Illuminated: Researchers Map A Molecular Network Of Crucial Protein Interactions
Causes Of Autism Illuminated: Researchers Map A Molecular Network Of Crucial Protein Interactions: Ever since the human genome was mapped, scientists (and those of us cheering from the sidelines) have been hoping to find the genetic basis for various diseases, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). After a decade of research, however, it is clear the process is not just a matter of sequencing the genome of a group of patients and then figuring out which genetic variation all of them share — to understand the origins of disease, scientists also need to learn all the tiny, atom-sized interactions involved. In a new study, Stanford University researchers mapped an entire molecular network of crucial protein interactions that contribute to autism.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Brain inflammation a shared trait in autism, study finds | Fox News
Brain inflammation a shared trait in autism, study finds | Fox News: A new study on gene expression in brains affected by autism revealed a shared pattern of ramped-up immune responses that researchers say may lead to possible treatment options for some symptoms of the developmental disorder.
Researchers from John Hopkins and the University of Alabama at Birmingham analyzed data collected from 72 autopsied autism and control brains. The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, focused on samples from two different tissue banks and compared the gene expressions in people with autism to that in controls without the condition.
Researchers from John Hopkins and the University of Alabama at Birmingham analyzed data collected from 72 autopsied autism and control brains. The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, focused on samples from two different tissue banks and compared the gene expressions in people with autism to that in controls without the condition.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Early Intervention for Children with Autism: Parental Priorities
It has been recognised for some time that early intervention for children with disabilities should not only focus on child outcomes but must also recognise the integral role families play in the development of their child (Bailey et al., 1998). Services that support families have frequently been discussed in terms of their family-centredness, and research has focused on identifying critical dimensions of family-centred practice (Allen & Petr, 1996; Bailey et al., 1998; Begun, 1996; Dunst, Trivette & Deal, 1994; Keen & Knox, 2004; Knox et al., 2000; Murray, 2000; Turnbull & Turnbull, 2001). Fundamental to a family-centred approach is the importance of matching early intervention support with the unique characteristics of each child and family (Bailey et al., 1990). As stated by Dunst et al. (1994), 'the greatest impact on child, parent, and family functioning is most likely to occur when interventions are based upon the needs, aspirations, and desires a family considers important' (p. 9).
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