Autism is a developmental brain disorder that affects normal brain functions. This neurological condition affects a person’s reasoning, social skills and communication skills. The condition becomes apparent during the first 3 years of a child’s life. Because areas of the brain have difficulties working together, children with autism will have challenges in relating and communicating with others. Those afflicted with the disorder may still be able to reach their full potential with an early diagnosis and effective treatment.

The post What is Autism appeared first on Reaching Milestones.

As a parent or guardian of a child with autism, the decision choosing the treatment option that will best benefit your child can be a challenging one.  You may rely on the advice of friends or family or turn to the Internet to seek information about your options.  During the course of your search for the best treatment option, you may discover a form of therapy known as Sensory integration therapy (SIT).  We would like to share with you what the latest research has to say about SIT, so that you can make a more informed decision about your child’s treatment.

Lang et al. (2012) conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed, scientifically valid research articles on the topic of SIT.  Lang et al. (2012) described SIT in the following way:

Implementation of SIT typically involves some combination of the child wearing a weighted

vest, being rubbed or brushed with various instruments, riding a scooter board, swinging,

sitting on a bouncy ball, being squeezed between exercise pads or pillows, and other similar

activities” (p. 1005).

Researchers (Lang et al., 2012) found that out of 53 published articles on various aspects of SIT, only 25 could be included in the review, with the remaining articles excluded due to questionable bases for research, flawed execution of the experiments, or poor data collection. These researchers really did their homework!  Of those remaining 25 studies, only 3 suggested that SIT was an effective form of therapy, 8 found non-conclusive results, and 14 found no benefit (Lang et al., 2012).  Ultimately, the research (Lang et al., 2012) concluded that SIT is not currently supported by the evidence and that practitioners who intend to serve children with autism should not rely upon SIT as a form of treatment.  Furthermore, Lang et al. (2012) go on to suggest that, due to its scientific uncertainty, SIT should only be used in highly controlled research settings. If you have any questions about SIT or other options you have discovered in your search for effective autism therapies, feel free to contact your behavior analyst for more information on those topics or other research-based methods that may be effective in your child’s behavior program.

Reference:

Lang, R., O’Reilly, M., Healy, O., Rispoli, M., Lydon, H., Streusand, W., Davis, T., Kang, S.,

Sigafoos, J., Lancioni, G., Didden, R., & Giesbers, S. (2012). Sensory integration therapy for

autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review.  Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6,

     1004-1018.

The post Sensory Integration Therapy: What Parents Need To Know appeared first on Reaching Milestones.

Parents of children with autism often face the decision of whether to seek home- or center- based treatment.  At Reaching Milestones with Behavioral Consultation Services, one of our most important principles is that our clients are able to make educated and informed decisions.  With that in mind, we would like to share what recent, scientific research has to say about home- and center-based treatment, as well as our experiences in the matter when treating children with our Autism program.

A well-controlled study conducted by behavioral researchers (Roberts et al., 2011), examined the treatment outcomes for children diagnosed with autism who participated in Center-Based programs or Home-Based programs.  Treatment outcome measures included: social and communication skill development in the children, quality of life and stress for parents.  Results from the study showed that children in the Center-Based program improved the most in social & communication skill development.  Furthermore, parents of the children in the Center-Based program reported the most gains in “perception of competence & quality of life.”  Researchers concluded that, if possible, Center-Based treatment was the preferred option for children with autism (Roberts et al., 2011).

While there may be multiple factors affecting the results in the aforementioned study, our experiences at Reaching Milestones with BCS have led us to draw a few conclusions:

Center-based treatment (also known as clinic-based treatment) allows the behavior analyst to minimize or alleviate many variables that may prove very difficult to control in a home environment.  Such things as toys, entertainment devices, pets, and even siblings can cause unnecessary distractions that hamper a child’s development.  In a center, a behavior analyst is able to control events that would otherwise be distracting in a home setting, and in some cases use those events to bring about effective changes in your child’s behavior.

Center-based treatments generally allow the analyst to spend more time working with your child.  Let’s face it: Life happens.  Aside from working or meeting family obligations, sometimes we are caught off-guard by emergencies and other events.  You may have aging parents to care for or other, typically functioning children whose demands need to be met.  Now, imagine having to work around these events and maintain your child’s home-based treatment schedule.  Our experience as behavior analysts tells us that center-based treatment allows for your child to get more of the attention that will lead to positive, beneficial changes and allow you to focus on the other aspects of your life while still benefitting your child.

Center-based treatment, while giving analysts more time with your child, also gives them the ability to gather more information about your child’s development.  This information is used to better formulate your child’s program of instruction and allows you to better communicate with the analyst about progress and concerns.  At Reaching Milestones with BCS, we believe that keeping you informed and up-to-date on your child’s progress will also give you the confidence to handle the day-to-day challenges that you may face in meeting your child’s needs inside the home.

You don’t have to take our word for it, however. In the study previously mentioned (Roberts et al., 2011), researchers also found that parents involved in center-based treatment scored significantly higher in the following areas, overall:

Family interaction

Parenting skills

Emotional wellbeing

Physical wellbeing

Confidence

Coping skills

Knowledge

Understanding

Planning

Knowing your options is a vital aspect of selecting treatment for your child.  At Reaching Milestones with BCS, your child’s progress comes first.  We want to make sure that you have all the information you need in order to make an informed decision regarding your child’s care.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the nearest Reaching Milestones location.

Roberts, J., Williams, K., Carter, M., Evans, D., Parmenter, T., Silove, N., Clark, T., Warren, A.

(2011). A randomised controlled trial of two early intervention programs for young children

with autism: Centre-based with parent program and home-based. Research in Autism

Spectrum Disorders, 5,

1553-1566.

The post Home Based or Center Based Services – Which is right for my child? appeared first on Reaching Milestones.