I’m a parent of a child with autism. What should I look for in an ABA organization?

As a parent, I thought choosing an ABA organization was similar to choosing a pediatrician or a dentist: they are board-certified, so they must know what they are doing. Surprisingly, because the field of ABA is new (unlike the general medical profession, which has been around for more than 25,000 years), just because someone is board certified in ABA does not necessarily mean he/she is a seasoned clinician.

Did you know more than 50 percent of Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) have been certified in just the last three years? This means there are many new people hoping to help newly diagnosed children and their families.

Seeking certified staff is a great first start, but there are other indicators of a quality service organization:

1. Who are the BCBAs on staff, and what is their experience?

• • How many years of experience do they have?
  • What types of settings have they worked in?
  • What age range of children have they worked with in the past?

2. What are the backgrounds of the direct care staff who will be working with your child?

Read more here at Autism Parenting magazine. 

Archived Webinar - Family-Centered Planning and ASD

Research demonstrates the effectiveness of Family-Centered Transition Planning in increasing student and parent expectations for adult life, student career decision-making, and student participation in employment and post-secondary education. Learn the latest sustainable processes for implementing a Family-Centered Transition Planning model for youth and young adults with autism spectrum disorders.

View the webinar here at the Autism Research Institute.

Webinar - Family-Centered Planning and ASD

08/19/2020, 1 PM Eastern Time (U.S.)

Research demonstrates the effectiveness of Family-Centered Transition Planning in increasing student and parent expectations for adult life, student career decision-making, and student participation in employment and post-secondary education. Tune in to learn the latest sustainable processes for implementing a Family-Centered Transition Planning model for youth and young adults with autism spectrum disorders.

Register here with the Autism Research Institute

Webinar - Debunking the Myths of Supported Decision-Making and Guardianship

Tuesday, September 8, 2020
		2:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-04:00)
		1 hour 15 minutes Being able to make your own decisions about your own life is one of the most important rights that people have. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have the same right to make decisions about their lives as people without disabilities. However, their ability to make their own decisions is often questioned by teachers, doctors, family members, and others. Research has shown that individuals with reduced self-determination have diminished quality of life outcomes and are less likely to live and be integrated into their community. Guardianship can be an obstacle to the development of self-determination skills. However, people with I/DD are at an increased risk of being placed under guardianship, and guardianship is frequently still the only option presented and utilized by families and supporters of people with I/DD. This webinar will describe guardianship and less restrictive decision-making alternatives, as well as help debunk some of the myths about guardianship and supported decision-making that persist. Register here with The Arc.

Autism Navigator Courses for Family Members and Professionals

Find more information here. 

Introducing Your Child to His or Her Diagnosis of Autism

Many parents are fearful that labeling their child as having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will make him or her feel broken, or that they may use their label as an excuse to give up and not try. Adults on the autism spectrum have found the opposite to be true. Giving your child information on the nature of his/her differences will give them a better understanding and the motivation that is needed to drive through challenges.

Discussing an autism spectrum diagnosis with your child is an important issue and one for which many parents seek advice. This article will focus on aspects of explaining your child’s diagnosis to him or her, and provide resources that can assist and guide you.

Read more here.

Read the issue here. 

Archived - Aging Out: Autism In Montana

Each year, more children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but the framework of care drastically changes for them after adolescence. The tidal wave of children transitioning into adulthood leaves many families on a search for help and structure. 

Follow Montana families as they recognize their fears and explore their options for the future.

Watch the show here.

Hanen 4 "I"s to Socialize: Coaching Parents of Children with Autism and Social Communication Difficulties

Dates: May 6-7

Location: Early Childhood Intervention
              2016 Grand Avenue, Suite B
              Billings, MT

If your role includes supporting the communication development of young children with autism or social communication difficulties, you know that involving parents effectively is key to your success.

Hanen 4 “I”s to Socialize™ is an intensive 2-day workshop designed to facilitate and enhance your efforts to involve families and to achieve the best possible outcomes for young children with social communication challenges.

The workshop provides:

• A research-based protocol for evaluating children’s social communication and determining next steps – A comprehensive checklist helps you zero in on a child’s stage of social communication and identify what his or her next target may be.
• A set of responsive interaction strategies drawn from Hanen’s evidence-based More Than Words® program – You’ll share these strategies with parents so they can facilitate their child’s ability to engage in extended, enjoyable interactions within everyday activities and routines.
• A structured parent coaching framework that’s based on principles of adult learning – this consists of a clear, 4-step coaching model that considers the needs of adult learners and effectively supports parents’ application and generalization of strategies.

Find more information here. 

Register here. 

We are unable to offer scholarships to this training. 

Sleep, growth, and puberty after 2 years of prolonged-release melatonin in children with autism spectrum disorder

In view of a recent 3-month double-blind, placebo-controlled study reporting the efficacy and safety of pediatric prolonged-release melatonin (PedPRM) for insomnia in children with autism spectrum disorder, researchers here examined how PedPRM treatment affect sleep, growth, body mass index, and pubertal development in long term. T

he double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was completed by 80 children and adolescents (2–17.5 years of age; 96% with autism spectrum disorder); these were administered 2 mg, 5 mg, or 10 mg PedPRM nightly up to 104 weeks, followed by a 2-week placebo period to assess withdrawal effects. During the 104-week treatment period, there remained improvements in child sleep disturbance and caregiver satisfaction with child sleep patterns, quality of sleep, and quality of life. The measures declined during the 2-week withdrawal placebo period compared with the treatment period but these were still improved compared with baseline. 

Outcomes support the safety and efficacy of nightly PedPRM at optimal dose (2, 5, or 10 mg nightly) for long-term treatment in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and insomnia. No detrimental effects were observed on children’s growth and pubertal development and there were no withdrawal or safety issues related to the use or discontinuation of the drug.

MDLinx

Severe Morning Sickness Tied to Autism Risk in Kids

The form of morning sickness in question is called hyperemesis gravidarum, and it occurs in less than 5% of pregnancies, explained a team at Kaiser Permanente Southern California. Women with the condition have intense nausea and can't keep food or fluids down, which can lead to dehydration and poor nutrition during pregnancy.

The new study -- involving data on nearly 500,000 pregnant women and their children born between 1991 and 2014 -- "suggests that children born to women with hyperemesis may be at an increased risk of autism," said lead author Dr. Darios Getahun. 

The study couldn't prove cause and effect, but it found a 53% increased risk of a child being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder if their mother suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum. 

There was one silver lining from the finding, Getahun said: "Awareness of this association may create the opportunity for earlier diagnosis and intervention in children at risk of autism."

The earlier that women experienced severe morning sickness, the stronger the tie to autism. Getahun's team found that hyperemesis gravidarum in the first and second trimester was linked with autism risk in offspring, but not when it was diagnosed in the third trimester.

Girls were more likely to develop autism than boys if their mothers had severe morning sickness, the findings indicated.

Read more here at HealthDay.

Best Autism Apparel for Kids on the Spectrum

If you are caring for a child with autism, you are probably aware of sensory issues when it comes to clothing. Kids on the spectrum can be overly sensitive to clothing tags, seams, and textures that are not comfortable for them. Fortunately, some clothing companies are now making autism apparel that is affordable and available to everyone.

Some popular stores with sensory clothing for autism include the following:

Target 

Target’s adaptive clothing line is a terrific collection of everyday casual wear for boys and girls. The clothes do not have tags, have flat seams, and are made of a cotton-blend for maximum comfort. Hoodies and pants have side openings with either zippers or snap buttons for easy on/off wear. Some denim pants have back elastics and are wheelchair-friendly.

See more here at Autism Parenting Magazine. 

Early exposure to speech may shape autistic children’s language ability

The more words autistic children hear as infants — and the more verbal interactions they have with their caregivers — the better their language skills at age 2, a new study suggests¹.
The quantity of speech young children hear in the home is known to have a strong influence on language development and in turn, on reading skills and ‘school readiness’².

Read more here at Spectrum.

The controversy over autism’s most common therapy

Applied behavioral analysis is the most widely used therapy for autism, but some people say its drills and routines are cruel, and its aims misguided.

Read more here at Spectrum. 

Do It DIfferently - Video

Four fathers with one thing in common: They are all raising a child with autism. In their own words, they share their struggles and successes, fears and hopes, while projecting a quiet strength. Let them inspire you to do it differently.

Watch the video here on Youtube. 

Ten steps to help a teen with autism navigate dating

Ten tips

With these challenges in mind, we’ve compiled some tips for helping your teen approach dating and intimacy. They are just general guides. How you apply them should depend on the age and experience of your teen.

1. Encourage an open dialogue. You want your teen to feel comfortable sharing information about dating. It can help to “normalize” the issue. For example, remind your teen that most everyone finds dating challenging. It’s not an easy process!

2. Be proactive. If your teen hasn’t already brought up the topic, look for a time when he or she is in a good mood and mention your willingness to talk about dating and sexuality when your teen is ready. Highlight that each person becomes interested in these experiences at different ages, and that’s okay.

3. Don’t delay discussions if you think your teen might be sexually active or is dealing with opportunities for sexual activity. In this situation, it’s crucial to discuss safe sex even if your teen feels resistant to talking about it. For example, gently but clearly make sure your teen understands how pregnancy occurs, how sexually transmitted diseases spread and how to take preventive steps. If sexual activity has already occurred, we recommend consulting with your teen’s doctor about related health issues.

4. If your teen is open to role-playing, try running through some classic dating scenarios. While role-playing, observe how your teen shows interest, expresses compliments and responds nonverbally (e.g., smiling, nodding in agreement, making eye contact). Explain that these behaviors send positive messages to the other person. Mention how everyone likes to have someone show genuine interest. Model behaviors that show interest. Together, brainstorm possible topics of conversations.

Read more here at Autism Speaks. 

Autism Friendly Vacation Rentals in Orlando

See more here at Villakey.

Autistic children, parents may shape each other’s language

Parents speak to their autistic children using fewer words and less complex sentences than do parents of typical children, which in turn shapes the children’s language skills, a new study suggests1.

The findings contradict the recommendations of some autism therapies, which ask parents to speak in simple sentences, says lead researcher Riccardo Fusaroli, associate professor of cognitive science at Aarhus University in the Netherlands.

Fusaroli and his colleagues tracked language learning from about age 2 to 5 in autistic and typical children. The two groups started out with similar language abilities.

As they got older, however, the autistic children became less talkative and used simpler sentences than the controls did. Their parents also began to use less complex language; over time, the parents’ language at one visit predicted that of their children at the next, and vice versa.

Read more here at Spectrum. 

Support Through Education & Planning Topic: Behavior at Home - Missoula

YETI STEP

Support Through  

Education & Planning

Topic:  Behavior at Home

Audience:  Parents

Dates: 2/19, 2/16, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19

Time:   Tuesdays 6:00-7:30

Location:   Curry Health Center, 634 Eddy, U of M

Remote Computer Access Available

Childcare: Available with Registration

Format:   Parents will engage in group education for the first half of the session.  The second half will target individualized programming for behavior strategies in the home.  The program will be enriched by support from a Social Work Graduate Student and follow-through with Graduate Student Clinicians in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Registration  $20 Fee to hold your spot. For more information, or to register for YETI STEP, call the Clinic Manager, Meghann Schroeder, at 243-6105.  Six families are welcome to join this semester

Insurance Mandates and Out-of-Pocket Spending for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The health care costs associated with treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children can be substantial. State-level mandates that require insurers to cover ASD-specific services may lessen the financial burden families face by shifting health care spending to insurers.

METHODS: We estimated the effects of ASD mandates on out-of-pocket spending, insurer spending, and the share of total spending paid out of pocket for ASD-specific services. We used administrative claims data from 2008 to 2012 from 3 commercial insurers, and took a difference-in-differences approach in which children who were subject to mandates were compared with children who were not. Because mandates have heterogeneous effects based on the extent of children’s service use, we performed subsample analyses by calculating quintiles based on average monthly total spending on ASD-specific services. The sample included 106 977 children with ASD across 50 states.

RESULTS: Mandates increased out-of-pocket spending but decreased the share of spending paid out of pocket for ASD-specific services on average. The effects were driven largely by children in the highest-spending quintile, who experienced an average increase of $35 per month in out-of-pocket spending (P < .001) and a 4 percentage point decline in the share of spending paid out of pocket (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS: ASD mandates shifted health care spending for ASD-specific services from families to insurers. However, families in the highest-spending quintile still spent an average of >$200 per month out of pocket on these services. 

Read more here.