Many approaches in treatments for autistic children

Editor's note: Watch for an upcoming feature about one Billings family's struggle to raise a child with autism.

Treatment approaches have evolved as more is learned about autism. There are therapeutic programs, both conventional and alternative, that focus on replacing dysfunctional behaviors and developing specific skills.

Just as there are various treatment approaches, there are multiple educational programs. It is important that you gather information before making decisions concerning a child's treatment.

Individuals with autism, like everyone else, are individuals first and foremost. They have unique strengths and weaknesses. What people with autism have in common is a developmental disability -- a disorder of communication -- which manifests itself differently in each person. Both treatment approaches and educational programs should be tailored to individual needs, flexible and re-evaluated regularly.

The behaviors exhibited by children with autism are frequently the most troubling. These behaviors may be inappropriate, repetitive, aggressive and/or dangerous, and may include hand-flapping, rocking and head-banging.

Communication skills are also an issue for children with autism. They have difficulty understanding how communication works. Some children use language in unusual ways, such as repeating the words or sentences said to them (echolalia) or using single words to communicate.

Details

"New Frontiers: A Parent's Guide to Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorders including ADD/ADHD" is a conference being held May 10 at the Mansfield Eudation Center. For those who are interested in learning more or would like to attend the conference, call (406) 256-0558 or e-mail lindaloff@msn.com

Language difficulties may contribute to behavioral problems. Many treatment approaches have been developed to address the range of social, language, sensory and behavioral difficulties. These include: Applied Behavior Analysis; Discrete Trial Training; TEACCH -- Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children; PECS -- Picture Exchange Communication Systems; Floor Time by Stanley Greenspan; Social Stories; Sensory Integration; and Auditory Integration Training.

Many of the interventions used are based on the theory of Applied Behavior Analysis -- that behavior rewarded is more likely to be repeated than behavior ignored. In Discrete Trial Training, every task given to the child consists of a request to perform a specific action, a response from the child and a reaction from the therapist.

It is not just about correcting behaviors, but is designed to teach skills. Research has shown that ABA techniques have consistent results in teaching new skills to children with autism.

TEACCH was developed at the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina. It is a structured teaching approach based on the idea that the environment should be adapted to the child with autism, not the child to the environment. It uses no one specific technique, but rather is a program based around the child's functioning level.

One of the main areas affected by autism is the ability to communicate. A communication program such as Picture Exchange Communication Systems is helpful to get language started and provide a way of communicating. The advantage of PECS is that it is clear, intentional and initiated by the child.

Floor Time, an educational model developed by child psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan, is like play therapy in that it builds a circle of interaction between child and adult. It is frequently used for daily playtime in conjunction with other methods. Social Stories addresses the ability to recognize feelings or points of view of others.

Children with autism frequently have sensory difficulties. Sensory Integration therapy focuses on desensitizing the child and helping him reorganize sensory information, and Auditory Integration therapy reduces over-sensitivity to sound, often found in children with autism, ADD and ADHD.

Because autism is a spectrum disorder, no one method is usually effective. Professionals and families have found that a combination of treatments, including psycho-social and pharmacological interventions, is most effective.

While there are no drugs, vitamins or special diets that can correct the underlying neurological problems that seem to cause autism, professionals have found that some medications used for other disorders can be effective for autism. Changes to diet and the addition of certain vitamins may also be helpful. There have been claims that adding essential vitamins such as B6 and B12 and removing gluten and casein from a child's diet may improve digestion, allergies and sociability.

It is important that everyone works together for the child's benefit. Once a treatment program is in place, it is essential to monitor progress. Here are some guidelines to work in a child's best interest: Be informed, be prepared, be organized and communicate.

"The Sound of a Miracle, A Child's Triumph over Autism," by Annabel Stehli, is a riveting story about her daughter Georgiana's progress from autistic and functionally retarded to gifted.

Linda Loff is an educational consultant with On A Whim and a family support specialist with STEP, Inc. She can be reached at (406) 670-5158.