EBD Blog

Based on some in-coming traffic and then a message from someone who signed “Suzane Smith,” I learned that EBD Blog was included in a list of blogs about Autism. L. Mae Wilkinson, who may be associated with a Nurse Practioners School (but the affiliation isn’t quite clear), compiled the list. Anyway, here’s the scoop:

Nurse Practioners Select Top 50 Autism Support and Research Blogs
Continue reading ‘Nice…kinda’

Under the headline, “Hyperbaric chamber: healthy or hype?” in multiple news sources, Chris Woolston reported about various uses of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). He has quotes from an advocate and, hooray, from people who know better.

Link to the version that appeared in the Hartford (CT, US) Courant. Links to previous entries from EBD Blog: Does Rossignol et al. show HBOT’s effective? and Miracle or mistake?. Also, please see discussion at autismstreet.org.

Although I have followed the promotion of secretin as a treatment for Autism pretty much since the first reports about it, I hadn’t checked on it lately. My initial foray into the topic in 1998 resulted in some skepticism with hedges. As the research evolved, it became clear that the skepticism was warranted.

However, I was surprised that Stephen Edelson, writing in a 2008 article entitled The secretin story: Still a promising treatment for autism,” considered “the studies investigating the efficacy of secretin have been very positive.” Coupled with some vaguely remembered notion that fewer than 50% of physicians discouraged use of secretin, the article gave me pause. I thought, “Hmmm. Maybe you’re earlier analysis was hasty, John.”
Continue reading ‘Secretin reminder’

Writing under the headline “Pros and cons of screening teens for depression,” Brendan Borrell examined some of the issues that sometimes roar around surveying youths to identify those who are depressed or at risk for depression. Mr. Borrell’s article, which is one in a series of articles about depression appearing in the Los Angeles Times, addressed concerns such as parental reservations about testing of their children without permission, false positive identification of a high percentage of students, and the absence of adequate treatment for many who need help.

Mr. Borrell established the importance of the issue in his lead:

By the time a teenager graduates high school, about one out of nine of his or her peers has attempted suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, behind car accidents and homicide, and 10% to 12% of teens ponder suicide every day.

Continue reading ‘Screening teens’

Arne Duncan, US Secretary of Education, wrote to the chief officers of education for each of the states in the US on 31 July 2009 regarding the use of seclusion and restraint in schools. He expressed concern about the testimony heard recently by the Education and Labor Committee of the US House of Representatives, and recommended that states adopt Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support.

My home State of Illinois has what I believe to be one good approach, including both a strong focus upon Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) as well as State regulations that limit the use of seclusion and restraint under most circumstances….

Several other States have also adopted effective seclusion and/or restraint policies, but there are many jurisdictions that have not, leaving students and teachers vulnerable.
Continue reading ‘A. Duncan promotes PBIS’

Citalopram, one of the class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) which are usually used to address depression, did not yield beneficial results in a recent study of whether the use of the drug with children and youth with Autism reduced repetitive behaviors. The study, reported by Bryan King and colleagues, included 149 individuals ages 5 through 17 with moderate or severe Autism who were recruited from various parts of the US. Not only did the treated group appear no better than the placebo group, but the children in the Citalopram group were more likely to have adverse outcomes.

Lack of Efficacy of Citalopram in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders and High Levels of Repetitive Behavior Citalopram Ineffective in Children With Autism
Continue reading ‘Citalopram’s non-effects’