The Autism Retort Blog

I just finished attending the 34th annual ABA convention, this year held in Chicago. 3394 participants from 23 countries presented research and discussed issues, all of which were open for critique by other behavior analysts. Just a few of the various topics for discussion included: marriage and divorce, economics, workplace environments, bullying at school, and interventions for children with autism. Perhaps the most enlightening talk I heard was from Dr. Per Holth of Norway who demonstrated how behavioral descriptions of joint attention are helping develop and refine effective strategies for teaching these critical skills to children with autism.

Continue reading "Continuing Progress for Children with Autism Through ABA Research"

In my last post, I referred to some amazing feats of children (such as learning to talk) as “another step in the ongoing chain of more complex behavior.” I’m well aware that some people are offended by such descriptions. This is unfortunate. Behavioral language is not meant to diminish the accomplishments of humanity any more than scientific language diminishes the incredible beauty of the universe. Every behavioral consultant I have ever known has had tears come to their eyes on at least one occasion after witnessing a child learn something new, do something others would have once thought impossible. When this has happened to me, I am also fully aware that it is precisely because of the objective language of behavior that procedures were developed which made the incredible accomplishment for which I am about to cry, quite possible.

I’m interested in any moments others would like to share that they have been able to celebrate because of the use of behavioral treatment.

By Vince LaMarca, M.A., BCBA, Editor
Lovaas Institute - Indianapolis

Children with autism and ADHD may soon get anxiety relief from a novel "deep-pressure" vest. The vest, which can also be used for adults with mental illness, delivers a "portable hug" called deep pressure touch stimulation (DPTS). "People with developmental disorders and mental illness are often overwhelmed in everyday environments such as school and the workplace, and solutions available to families and mental health professionals are limited," says the doctoral student of mechanical engineering who developed the product. He said, "This is an alternative therapy that can safely and discreetly provide the treatment they need to function in mainstream society."

The brain centers triggered by a betrayal of trust have been identified by researchers, who found they could suppress such triggering and maintain trust by administering the brain chemical oxytocin. The researchers said their findings not only offer basic insights into the neural machinery underlying trust; the results may also help in understanding the neural basis of social disorders such as phobias and autism.

Brain cells known as neurons process information by joining into complex networks, transmitting signals to each other across junctions called synapses. But "neurons don't just connect to other neurons," emphasizes the lead researcher, "in a lot of cases, they connect to very specific partners, at particular spots." As they learn through research like this how the brain develops its complex wiring, the scientists hope they can clarify what goes wrong in disorders like autism.

The ability to detect autism in children as young as nine months of age is on the horizon. The Early Autism Study has been using eye tracker technology that measures eye direction while the babies look at faces, eyes and bouncing balls on a computer screen.

I have lost count of the number of times that I have worked with a child who showed inconsistent abilities with a skill who quickly became consistent once behavioral treatment was started. At the age of 5, one girl I taught had a very limited vocabulary. She had made minimum progress on all of her speech goals because she wouldn’t consistently repeat any words. At the age of 4, one girl I worked with had made no progress at school in her ability to string beads. And at the age of 3, one boy I worked with used only 3 vocal approximations to request and typically did not repeat any other words.

Continue reading "Why Applied Behavior Analysis Works With Young Children"