http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/26/behavior-therapy-normalizes-brains-of-autistic-children/
This article discusses how children with a mild form of autism enter an intervention program. These children showed dramatic improvement in both I.Q. and normal developmental behaviors such as brushing their teeth and engaging with family members during meals. Geraldine Dawson did a study using this Early Start Denver Model by taking EEG readings before and after the intervention. The intervention actually changed the brain activity of the children enrolled. Dawson believes that while the intervention is not a cure, it shows that some aspects of ASD can be manipulated and redirected toward normal development.
I have always been fascinated with the brain and autism. The implications from this study can be life changing for people who are living with the disorder. The idea that people with mild forms of ASD can retrain their brain, if started young, to follow a more normal developmental path is a huge deal. I would like to look up the actual study instead of reading about it in Time magazine, but if what is reported is true, this has the potential to make a difference in the lives of many people.
I'm a personal care attendant for a ten year old boy with Autism. He is high functioning with Asperger's. The treatment therapy of having two hour long sessions five days a weeks seems a bit unfathomable to me. I can't imagine a high functioning child with Asperger's being able to attend and reap the benefits of this long of a session this frequently.
ReplyDeleteIn my mind, the likely hood of this getting easier for those with a less functioning form of Autism. But it seems as though the benefits for attending the therapy no matter how time intensive they seem would be well worth it for the developmental path.
-Morgan Eary
I found this article lacking in detail thus making it difficult, if not impossible, to determine if this treatment is valid. I did have some questions. It stated a genetic link to autism. I did not realize that this had been proven. Certainly there appears to be a link in some families but in many others there appears to be no genetic link. I don't believe there is any genetic test that can identify autism. THe article also called autism a disease. I thought it was a communication disorder. Not a disease. They also discussed boosting IQ scores in two and three year olds. I did not think IQ testing before the age of seven or eight was considered valid.
ReplyDeleteI also find their testing of the brain through EEG as a means of determining success questionable. I would have wanted to know how these children showed functional/useful changes in behavior after treatment. With only 1000 people trained in the technique and only 15 people who can provide mentorship, it appears this is a very small study. I would think this therapy would need to stand the test of time. Can they standardize the training, make therapist accountable to the technique and most importantly do the children on the ASD scale show measurable changes toward functional development of skills?
I also agree that this article is lacking in detail and uses certain words incorrectly. Aside from that, I believe starting autistic children in behavior therapy early on is a great method for helping these children with what seem to be everyday tasks to us. I have two siblings with Asperger's and feel like behavioral therapy would be much more beneficial than the prescriptions and monthly sessions they attend. For behavior therapy to be used at its fullest potential though, it would need to be administered very regularly, so I feel like the time frame they suggested is not too unrealistic (aside from monetary issues). Also, it is more effective if used early on in life. They mentioned that even if administered later on in life though, they don't believe there is a point where "the door is shut." I would love to see more research on people that have been living with ASD, and how we can step in and help them.
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