Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities

Early detection of autism plays an important role in enhancing developmental outcomes for affected children. Identifying potential characteristics of the disorder evident during infancy and toddlerhood aids our efforts to screen for such symptoms, Which may lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses. This revieW examines the literature on detection of autistic characteristics in infants and toddlers, prior to a formal diagnosis. Findings presented derive from three methodological approaches: retrospective videotape analysis, prospective screening devices, and parent-report. Across methods, marked differences betWeen typically developing infants and toddlers and those subsequently diagnosed With autism Were evidenced in their social, affective, motor, play, and communication skills. Such congruent findings attest to the presence of specific, prediagnostic characteristics that are reliably identifiable.

Joint attention is an early-developing social-communicative skill in Which tWo people (usually a young child and an adult) use gestures and gaze to share attention With respect to interesting objects or events. This skill plays a critical role in social and language development. Impaired development of joint attention is a cardinal feature of children With autism, and thus it is important to develop this skill in early intervention efforts. Several interventions are described that involve teaching joint attention to young children With autism. These interventions focus primarily on the forms of joint attention; hoWever, they only partially address the unique social function of this behavior. DraWing on the joint attention literature, as Well as extensive intervention literature from the field of applied behavior analysis, We describe a set of strategies that could be used to teach and support joint attention, function as Well as form, in young children With autism.

The purpose of this study Was to investigate the expectations of parents of children With autism With regard to importance and likelihood issues of future outcomes. Participants in the study Were 25 parents in tWo midWestern states. Each set of parents had a child diagnosed Within the autism spectrum. Results indicated that parents perceived a higher degree of importance than likelihood for future outcomes. Parents expressed extreme concerns about their child's protection and safety. In addition, there Were statistically significant differences betWeen importance and likelihood for issues of safety, adult responsibility, and success in education, With importance rated higher than likelihood.

The purpose of this study Was to mobilize the stories of parents of autistic children as a prism for understanding the adjustment process. To do so, I qualitatively analyzed 20 personal stories by parents of children diagnosed With a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) that those parents published on the Internet. I analyzed the narratives from a textural standpoint, based on adaptation of a methodology developed by Labov (1982). All narratives Were found to have a certain degree of similarity in the core story presented (the “complicating action”). Recognition of the child's disability Was tied to diagnosis. FolloWing diagnosis, parents changed their behavior and galvanized themselves for intensive activity and care of their autistic child. The stories described the Way the parents have coped With autism. Autism Was seen as challenge. Thus, the parents Who publicized their experiences perceived themselves not as victims but, rather, as one parent put it, as “daring mountain climbers.”

Social stories have become increasingly popular for teaching appropriate behavioral skills to children With autism, yet current literature Warns that little empirical evidence is available that documents the effects of this intervention. Research that does exist targets participants With mild to moderate disabilities. In this study, a special education teacher used social stories in her classroom to teach 2 children With severe autism hoW to make activity choices, play appropriately With materials chosen, and play appropriately With peers in an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) classroom. The classroom teacher and a teacher's aide measured student abilities in choice-making and time spent playing appropriately during a free-play setting. The researchers found support for the use of social stories to teach choice-making and play skills to children With autism.

The purpose of this study Was to investigate the efficacy of using the SCORE Skills Strategy (Vernon, Schumaker, & Deshler, 1996) to teach high-functioning adolescents With autism spectrum disorders five important social skills. Ten male participants ranging in age from 12 to 17 took part in a 10-Week program. Results obtained using a multiple-baseline-across-skills design and a multiple-probe design indicate that all of the boys made significant gains in performance of the five targeted social skills and that the SCORE Skills Strategy is a viable program to use With high-functioning adolescents With autism spectrum disorder. The results further indicate that consumer satisfaction Was high for both the participants and their parents.