Early intervention yields big benefits for children with autism

[dolfrog]

just found this article via Twitter
Early intervention yields big benefits for children with autism

thanks dolfrog, interesting link and v interesting articles on the site in general.

btw the article dolfrog has linked to is about a research study showing better outcomes for children who underwent the Denver Early Start model than children who had a mixture of ABA/SALT/OT.

While it's great that early intervention is helpful, perhaps this information could be passed along to the GPs that constantly fob you off while that precious "early years" ticks away....

yes, interesting, thanks.

I have to say I am not entirely clear on the distinctions between ESDM and ABA. A lot of the distinctions sound like versions of the Emperor's New Clothes to me. But then I have never been involved in an ABA programme which sounds anything like how ABA programmes are typically described (desk bound, many repeated trials before moving on to the next thing, curriculum dictated by therapists rather than child's interests etc)

but it is good to have another study showing ABA based therapies really do work, and work well.

Having two girls with a autism, I agree. Dd1 has had little input and now aged 9 is struggling, but dd2 who is 4 and had input since 2 is doing loads better although she is considered to be worse effected by her autism.

How ABA programmes are typically described is not how they have to be. Traditional methods can be a little rigid, but I have found the Verbal behaviour strand to be brilliant with our ds.

Have to say, there is definitely something in it all, just wish people were more ready to embrace it and able to access it. I can't tell you how much it has changed my ds's life. I'm not saying ds definitely has asd but he had severe developmental delay at 2 and now at 2.5 he is almost up to his peers in most areas apart from fine motor, imitation, communication and play but he has made great strides and continues to surprise us. I really believe it should be available on nhs, not the tutors, just the consultants, but I can't see that happening. My ds was looking at special schools six months ago, now he is looking at mainstream. Big difference in my opinion, all it took was me being educated in behavioural science which is proven and us practising it at a level he could benefit from. I know it's sounds ridiculous and I know it won't work for all children but it's changed our lives dramatically and released our ds's potential. For that I am forever grateful.

DS2 was dxed at 2 1/2 and I honestly think the early intervention he received absolutely helped him with his developement.

We were lucky enough to have had a good team on our side, and the week after he was DXed he was attending an ASD playgroup ran by professionals who gave 1:1 play based learning while the parents got taught how to help their child. He also attended an ASD nursery for 5 mornings a week when he turned 3 where he got SALT every day and other ASD based learning. He could not talk until he was nearly 4, but I do think that had he not receieved this he would not be talking nw.

Like I said, we have been lucky with what DS2 has received to date, I know other people arae not as lucky.

ESDM is totally ABA re-packaged.

ABA isn't just DT teaching or any one intervention. What I really like about the ESDM is that a team work together. SALTS, ABA therapists, Occupational Therapists, teachers, etc. They make a decision together and they all feed it to the therapists. The therapist feeds to the kids and the parents so everyone is on the same page.

The ABA therapists I know love ESDB. The music therapist I know that hates ABA loves ESDM. It is very, very well packaged.

ESDM seems stricter about shaping spoken language than traditional ABA early intervention programs. It is VERY fun and energetic. The therapists have masses of enthusiasm. They also start VERY early and have almost 40 hours of 1:1 therapy around the age of 2. The UK model isn't set up for this at all.

I'm trying to work out why it is that I feel sad when I read this- I think it's because with a child with high functioning ASD getting to a diagnosis in spite of my misgivings since he was under 2, still took until he was almost 8.
For the high functioning child, having speech is the bonus but also the handicap IYKWIM.....it's what causes us to miss the early-intervention boat.

Thanks for the article dolfrog. There is a lot of interesting information on the site.

I was trying to find more information regarding Pivotal Response Training when i came across this article which you might like to read Therapies for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders which is from the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

There isn't much on Pivotal Response Training. The research never really came through in a big way. Maybe it still will, but I haven't seen any.

PRT is exactly what we all wish ABA could be. You have lots of fun teaching a few key cusp skills and then Viola! these skills automatically generalise and new skills are easily built on these cusp skills.

The fact of the matter is that many kids with autism have a hell of a time generalising skills to new people, places, and stimuli. There may not be a better way to cope with this than to doggedly teach skills in a wide variety of stimulus conditions.

PRT has some good ideas, and good behaviour analysts should know about PRT and incorporate some of these ideas when it is appropriate. The research does not yet support the claims that a PRT model is better than the alternatives.

Verbal Behaviour, ESDM, PRT, Lovaas-style discrete trial teaching are all variants on a theme. Different kids will need different kids of reinforcement and be motivated by different things. The basics of learning theory apply to all these interventions. And they all work. They work best when done early and intensively.

just found this paper regarding PRT and DTT
Brief Report: Toward Refinement of a Predictive Behavioral Profile for Treatment Outcome in Children with Autism

PininJo

That's not me.

This research paper also appears interesting
Stereotypy in Autism: The Importance of Function

DS followed the ESDM curriculum and the VB-Mapp simultaneously.

It's what worked for him within our and available resources.

I also think it could benefit children with global dev delay not just autism.

Parasaurolophus is one of my ds' favourite dinosaurs!

Dolfrog....I dont know where you are getting the links from but I find this thread very useful. I have learnt a lot! Thank you

WannaBeMegMarch

I have various sources, when I have a topic of interest I just follow the information trails. The research papers are all added to the CiteULike Autism research paper sharing group. (you can sort the articles in various ways see the sort option button).