Healing Thresholds Autism Therapy Topic Feed

Community Resources Work Together to Help Kids with Special Needs

scottie — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:19:02 +0000

Teaser:

Tina Robbins realized just how special her Kalamazoo community was when they stepped up to help her out with her son with autism.

Body:

Tina Robbins realized just how special her Kalamazoo community was when they stepped up to help her out with her son with autism. Robbins is a single mom and her son Logan is a non-verbal youngster with autism. Robbins explained that Logan has sensory issues, wandering, and self-injurious behavior. As an advocate for her son, she reached out to Kalamazoo Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (KCMHSAS) for help. Jeff Patton, CEO of KCMHSAS, explained that Kalamazoo is a caring community and different agencies pooled their resources to help Logan as well as other children with special needs. Western Michigan University provided speech and music therapy. He received his service dog, Denver, from Paws with a Cause. Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center provided equine therapy, while Project Lifesaver made sure that Logan didn’t wander away from home. Tina also gets help; Woods-Edge Learning Center and Family and Children’s Services Respite Program provides respite services, so that she can be re-energized and effective when caring for Logan.

Original Article:

Kalamazoo Community Networks Support Children with Disabilities

Therapist- and Self-monitored DRO Contingencies as a Treatment for the Self-injurious Skin Picking of a Young Man with Asperger Syndrome

scottie — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Title	Therapist- and Self-monitored DRO Contingencies as a Treatment for the Self-injurious Skin Picking of a Young Man with Asperger Syndrome
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Tiger JH, Fisher WW, Bouxsein KJ
Journal Title	Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
Year of Publication	2009
Volume	42
Issue	2
Pages	315-319
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19949518
Teaser	Applied behavior analysis (ABA) may be helpful in decreasing self-injurious skin picking in people with autism.
Full Text	Applied behavior analysis (ABA) may be helpful in decreasing self-injurious skin picking in people with autism. Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) is an ABA technique that involves a reward if the child does not do the behavior in question (in this case skin picking) during a certain period of time. The purpose of this case study was to see if DRO could help to reduce skin picking of a 19-year-old young man who had been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. At the start of the study, the young man engaged in skin picking 56.3% of the time during sessions. He was able to decrease his skin picking and he was able to do so when he was being watched by a therapist and when he was alone. The authors noted that this is just a case study and it is hard to see if this approach will also work for other people.

Computer Aided Self-Monitoring to Increase Academic Production and Reduce Self-Injurious Behavior in a Child with Autism

scottie — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:41:29 +0000

Title	Computer Aided Self-Monitoring to Increase Academic Production and Reduce Self-Injurious Behavior in a Child with Autism
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Soares DA, Vannest KJ, Harrison J
Journal Title	Behavior Interventions
Year of Publication	2009
Volume	24
Pages	171-183
URL for Abstract	http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122328633/abstract
Teaser	Using a computer to keep track of academic success may help reduce self-injury and other unwanted behaviors in children with autism.
Full Text	Using a computer to keep track of academic success may help reduce self-injury and other unwanted behaviors in children with autism. This case study described success for one adolescent (13 years old) with Asperger’s syndrome who used a computer as positive reinforcement. The boy kept a record of his own success at completing school tasks. The boy completed more tasks and had less self-injury behavior and fewer tantrums during the weeks that he used the computer system. When researchers stopped his use of the system, he again had tantrums, self-injury, and trouble completing tasks. The authors said that this system is a promising way to offer some independence and would be relatively easy to use in classrooms.

Risk Factors for Challenging Behaviors among 157 Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Ireland

scottie — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:58:20 +0000

Title	Risk Factors for Challenging Behaviors among 157 Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Ireland
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Murphy O, Healy O, Leader G
Journal Title	Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Year of Publication	2009
Volume	3
Pages	474-482
URL for Abstract	http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleListURL&_method=list&_ArticleListID=1095543305&_sort=r&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=64cb7cd1c591bf6b35398b9793c1a67b
Teaser	Self-injury behaviors in children with autism may be more intense in children with severe intellectual disability than in other children with autism.
Full Text	Self-injury behaviors in children with autism may be more intense in children with severe intellectual disability than in other children with autism. This study asked whether self injury, aggressive, and stereotypy behaviors were more common in some groups of children with autism than others. The researchers tested age, gender, therapy interventions, and intellectual disabilities. Age and gender were not a factor. Children getting applied behavior analysis therapy (ABA) had aggressive behaviors more often than other children, but the authors think that might be because children with behavioral problems are more likely to get therapy. Children with severe intellectual disabilities had more intense self-injury behaviors than other children with autism.

Aripiprazole Monotherapy in Children and Young Adolescents with Pervasive Developmental Disorders

scottie — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:05:48 +0000

Title	Aripiprazole Monotherapy in Children and Young Adolescents with Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Masi G, Cosenza A, Millepiedi S, Muratori F, Pari C, Salvadori F
Journal Title	CNS Drugs
Year of Publication	2009
Volume	23
Issue	6
Pages	511-521
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19480469?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	Aripiprazole (Abilify^®) may be helpful for children and adolescents with autism who have severe behavioral problems. This article describes a study of 34 autism patients (4-15 years old) who had severe behavioral problems such as aggression, self injury, and hyperactivity. These patients were treated through a psychiatric hospital (inpatient or outpatient) because of their severe behavioral problems. Patients were treated with 3-13 mg/day of aripiprazole for at least 12 weeks. The authors tested skills and behaviors between 4-12 months after the start of treatment. Of all the patients in the study, 37% were much improved or very much improved, and 29% had no change or got worse. Side effects were agitation (27% of patients) and sleep problems (15% of patients).

ECT for Self-injury in an Autistic Boy

scottie — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:28:00 +0000

Title	ECT for Self-injury in an Autistic Boy
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Wachtel LE, Contrucci_Kuhn SA, Griffin M, Thompson A, Dhossche DM, Reti IM
Journal Title	European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Year of Publication	2009
Volume	18
Issue	7
Pages	458-463
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19198918?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	Electroconvulsive therapy reduced severe self-injury behavior in a boy with autism, allowing him to attend school. This case study reported electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for an 8-year-old boy with autism, mental retardation, mood swings, and extreme self-injury behavior. He was trying to hurt himself an average of 109 times per hour. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy and drug therapy did not work. He had to stay in the hospital. He wore arm restraints with metal strips to limit where his arms could reach. And he wore full-body protective padding so he wouldn’t hurt himself. He was treated with ECT 3 times per week for 5 weeks. ECT therapy is a medical procedure that uses a brief electric current to the brain in a closely-monitored medical setting under full anesthesia. Doctors also use neuromuscular blockade (temporary full relaxation of muscles) during the procedure. After 5 weeks of ECT, he no longer needed restraints and protective padding. This child was able to return home after 2 years in a hospital, attend school and learn for the first time, and also participate in meaningful family life. The authors said this was the first report of successful ECT for self-injury behavior. They recommended that doctors consider ECT when other therapies don’t work.

Functional Analysis of Precursors for Serious Problem Behavior and Related Intervention

scottie — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:54:18 +0000

Title	Functional Analysis of Precursors for Serious Problem Behavior and Related Intervention
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Langdon NA, Carr EG, OwenDeSchryver JS
Journal Title	Behavior Modification
Year of Publication	2008
Volume	32
Issue	6
Pages	804-827
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18456900?ordinalpos=5&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	Paying attention to early warning signals before a problem behavior in children with autism may help prevent it. Three children with autism (6-18 years old) were getting behavioral therapy (ABA). The children had a pattern of certain harmless behaviors (called precursor behaviors) before a more severe problem behavior. For example, one child would squeal (precursor behavior) before biting or scratching herself or others (problem behavior). The problem behaviors happened less often when therapists made some changes. If the precursor behavior was rewarded or the therapist encouraged the child to communicate right after the precursor behavior, then the child had fewer problem behaviors.

Effects of Vibroacoustic Music on Challenging Behaviors in Individuals with Autism and Developmental Disabilities

scottie — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:39:31 +0000

Title	Effects of Vibroacoustic Music on Challenging Behaviors in Individuals with Autism and Developmental Disabilities
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Lundqvist L-O, Andersson G, Viding J
Journal Title	Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Year of Publication	2009
Volume	3
Issue	2
Pages	390-400
URL for Abstract	http://www.science-direct.com/science?_ob=ArticleListURL&_method=list&_ArticleListID=914718518&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=37a370134478770e6db84fc2abab3c2a
Full Text	Music therapy may reduce problem behavior in people with autism. This study was performed in order to see if vibroacoustic music therapy reduced problem behavior in adults with autism. The authors note that patients who received the music therapy did not hurt themselves as much (self-injurious behavior). The patients injured themselves less and less after many sessions of music therapy. The assistants noted that the patients seemed to feel more and more secure as they spent time with the sound of the musics. The authors do not know how the music therapy was able to change the behaviors of the patients with autism.

Constipation Associated with Self-Injurious and Aggressive Behavior Exhibited by a Child Diagnosed with Autism

scottie — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:31:55 +0000

Title	Constipation Associated with Self-Injurious and Aggressive Behavior Exhibited by a Child Diagnosed with Autism
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Christensen TJ, Ringdahl JE, Bosch JJ, Falcomata TS, Luke JR, Andelman MS
Journal Title	Education and Treatment of Children
Year of Publication	2009
Volume	32
Issue	1
Pages	89-103
URL for Abstract	http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/education_and_treatment_of_children/v032/32.1.christensen.pdf
Full Text	The health of the gut may be an important key to behavior in children with autism. This study was designed to see if children who are constipated are more likely to hurt themselves (self-injurious behavior). The study had only one boy (age 7) with autism who was also prone to constipation. The child was given drug therapy (Senokot and MiraLAX) to promote bowel clean out. The authors found that as his bowel status improved, the level of his problem behavior decreased until it reached near-zero levels. The authors suggest that the child was in pain from the constipation and the pain may have prompted his problem behavior.

Behavioral Assessment and Treatment of Self-Injurious Behavior in Autism

scottie — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:03:10 +0000

Title	Behavioral Assessment and Treatment of Self-Injurious Behavior in Autism
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Minshawi NF
Journal Title	Child Adolesc Psychiatric Clin N Am
Year of Publication	2008
Volume	17
Issue	4
Pages	875-886
URL for Abstract	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18775375?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Full Text	Applied behavior analysis (ABA therapy) may be helpful in stopping self-injurious behavior in people with autism. Self-injurious behavior can be one of the hardest symptoms of autism. Self-injurious behavior is most often self-hitting or banging of the head and face and self-biting. People with low IQ are more likely to have self-injurious behavior. Some people believe that self-injurious behaviors are shaped, strengthened, and maintained because the person with autism gets desired feedback from the behavior. This article reviews self-injurious behavior in autism and describes treatments.