EBD Blog

Sometimes folks lose sight of the fact that disability and mental health issues are international in scope. They’re not confined just to one’s own neighborhood, locality, geopolitical area, etc. Fortunately, there are groups that transcend borders (you can probably think of the names of some well-know organizations that function internationally), and there are some in EBD, too. The Open Society Mental Health Initiative is an example:

The OSI Public Health Program’s Mental Health Initiative aims to ensure that people with mental disabilities (mental health problems and/or intellectual disabilities) are able to live as equal citizens in the community and to participate in society with full respect for their human rights. The Mental Health Initiative focuses on ending the unjustified and inappropriate institutionalization of people with mental disabilities by advocating for the closure of institutions and the development of community-based alternatives. The initiative works in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union (read more about the history of mental health policies in this region).

The OSI initiative is more than a one-trick pony. It’s about a lot of things, and its foci include children with Autism, mental health issues, and more. I encourage readers to check the site. Here is a link to the OSI MHI home page.

The US Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) released the results of its review of the model for teaching children with Autism that is based on the work of the late Ivar Lovaas on 24 August 2010. The WWC report is based on two of the many studies of the Lovaas method—often called “Applied Behavior Analysis”—and reports positive results for cognitive outcomes.
Continue reading ‘WWC on Lovaas model’

Based on the work of a task force composed of highly qualified individuals, the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) has issued position statement about the use of restraint and seclusion in treatment. Members of the task force, which was appointed by the executive board, include Jon S. Bailey, Michael F. Dorsey, Louis P. Hagopian, Gregory P. Hanley, David B. Lennox, Mary M. Riordan, Scott Spreat, and Timothy R. Vollmer (chair).

The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) and its members strongly oppose the inappropriate and/or unnecessary use of seclusion, restraint, or other intrusive interventions. Although many persons with severe behavior problems can be effectively treated without the use of any restrictive interventions, restraint may be necessary on some rare occasions with meticulous clinical oversight and controls. In addition, a carefully planned and monitored use of timeout from reinforcement can be acceptable under restricted circumstances. Seclusion is sometimes necessary or needed, but behavior analysts would support only the most highly monitored and ethical practices associated with such use, to be detailed below.

In the “below,” the document goes on to present in detail the a set of guiding principles and specific recommendations about the use of seclusion and restraint. Read the statement, “ABAI Statement on Restraint and Seculsion” from the ABAI Website.

Over on Spedpro I posted a brief account of the research conducted by O. Ivar Lovaas. Professor Lovaas, the eminent behavioral psychologist who developed detailed procedures for teaching individuals with Autism, died earlier this week.

Those who subscribe to it know that the summer issue of Science in Autism Treatment, the newsletter for the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT), arrived today in their electronic mailboxes. For folks who are interested in Autism but who do not subscribe, here’s a catalog of content in this issue.
Continue reading ‘ASAT newsletter available’

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter to the producer of a product that is sometimes used by people hoping to eliminate heavy metals from children’s bodies (e.g., chelate mercury from children with autism). In a letter addressed to Boyd D. Haley of CTI Science Inc., Teresa C. Thompson of the Cincinnati District Office of the FDA cited a host of problems in the classification and marketing of the product, OSR#1. Among these problems are the following:
Continue reading ‘FDA warns seller of chelation product’

Thanks to Liz Ditz, I learned about this fun testimonial from Shannon Rosa:

My son Leo’s life was transformed when a five-dollar raffle ticket turned into a brand-new iPad. I’m not exaggerating. Before the iPad, Leo’s autism made him dependent on others for entertainment, play, learning, and communication. With the iPad, Leo electrifies the air around him with independence and daily new skills. People who know Leo are amazed when they see this new boy rocking that iPad. I’m impressed, too, especially when our aggressively food-obsessed boy chooses to play with his iPad rather than eat. I don’t usually dabble in miracle-speak, but I may erect a tiny altar to Steve Jobs in the corner of our living room.

Link to The iPad: a Near-Miracle for My Son With Autism

Over on Science Based Medicine, David Gorsky has an extended post explaining the finding reported in “Functional Impact of Global Rare Copy Number Variation in Autism Spectrum Disorders” by Dalila Pinto and colleagues (and there are ship load of colleagues) that appeared in Nature. Dr. Pinto and colleagues examined copy number variations (CNVs; deletions, insertions, duplications, and other differences in genetic structure that have been a hot topic in genetics since ~2007) that are associated with Autism. Dr. Gorsky’s summary is well worth the read, saving me the task of summarizing this important report.

In “Handcuffing revives autism reform calls,” Natalie Craig reported about a story that, it seems to me, we’ve heard sometime before now.

POLICE handcuffed a 10-year-old autistic boy at a Geelong primary school after a breakdown in which he threw a compass that speared a classmate’s leg.

Link to the full version of Ms. Craig’s story.

The publishers of Nature are promoting a new site, Scitable. The publishers bill Scitable as “a free science library and personal learning tool brought to you by Nature Publishing Group, the world’s leading publisher of science. Scitable currently concentrates on genetics, the study of evolution, variation, and the rich complexity of living organisms.” Autism is one of the topics featured at Scitable, so I’ll be reviewing what’s there and monitoring for updates about the scientific study of Autism at it’s “Spotlight on Autism.”

Over on Countering Age of Autism, Kim Wombles has an extended post about research on facilitated communication. She’s not just gathered together the evidence that is familiar to those who have followed the science, but also engaged in discussion in the comments section of the post. Take a look at Facilitated Communication: A Review of the Literature. While you’re there, check many of her other sensible and clear posts.

I rarely point to posts on the Huffington Posts, but an entry by Liane Kupferberg Carter entitled “Autism: A time for civility” deserves recognition. Ms. Carter, the mother of a child with Autism, notes how factionation (if I may create than word) among people with interests in Autism has created divides not needed. The basic notion is that in contemporary diagnoses, Autism reflects a diverse spectrum of disorders. Educators, parents, policy-makers, and others need to accept the diversity and not fight among ourselves. Ms. Carter makes this point well. I encourage readers to read her post.