Autism Therapy: phobia

Behavioral therapy was used successfully to teach a boy who was intensely afraid of needles to remain calm while his blood was drawn from his arm.

An 18-year-old boy with autism, mental retardation, no vocal speech, and Type 2 diabetes had been so afraid of needles that he had not allowed anyone to draw blood for over 2 years. He was said to have a phobia, or intense fear, of needles. Gradually, the medical staff taught him to position his arm on the table. Then they approached him with a needle, moving gradually closer with the needle over several attempts. When he did not pull his arm away, he was given a reward of cookies. After 31 attempts, he allowed the blood draw from his arm. He continued to allow blood draws for most attempts after the first success. The authors concluded that methods to treat phobias can be successful with people with severe disabilities including severe autism.