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I am the parent of a 10 year-old boy with autism who has a very limited diet, not due to any food restrictions or allergies; he just refuses to try different types of foods. This makes for really challenging meal times and I worry about the lack of nutrition in his diet. I heard this…
We have a teenage son with autism, and as he continues into adulthood we are concerned about being prepared to address specific issues related to sexuality and safety. What are the most important issues for us to consider and what skills should we target to maximize his safety and healthy development? Answered by Frank Cicero,…
My four-year-old child is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His evaluator said that my son was “intellectually disabled in addition to having autism.” What is the relationship between autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability? Is my son also intellectually disabled? Answered by Leanne Tull, M.ADS, BCBA and Bobby Newman, PhD, BCBA-D Room to Grow…
By Leanne Tull, BCBA The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) debuted at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) annual meeting in May 2013. Since the publication of DSM-I in 1952, a standard review process has led to revised DSM editions over the past two decades. Advances in neurology, genetics,…
“I am a parent of a young boy with autism. I don’t know of any other individuals in my family with an autism diagnosis but am considering having more children. How likely is it that I could have another child with autism?” Answered by Scott M. Myers, MD, FAAP, Neurodevelopmental Pediatrician, Geisinger Autism & Developmental…
Written by Peggy Halliday, MEd, BCBA Zachary Houston, MS, BCBA Elisabeth Kinney, MS, BCBA & Scott M. Myers, MD Although screening and early recognition of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are important, the role of the primary healthcare provider does not end with diagnosis. Management responsibilities after the diagnosis of ASDs include providing high quality medical…
Written by Scott Myers, MD Several studies have shown that, although many individuals with autism live long and healthy lives, there is an increased risk of death (mortality) associated with autism1-5. A standardized mortality ratio (SMR) is the ratio of the observed number of deaths to the expected number of deaths, so any value greater…
Reviewed by Thomas Zane, PhD, BCBA Director of Applied Behavior Analysis Online Programs Van Loan School of Professional and Graduate Studies Endicott College Beverly, Massachusetts Hippotherapy, sometimes also called “equine-assisted” therapy or “therapeutic riding,” involves the use of horses to provide various therapies to persons who display a number of challenging conditions (American Hippotherapy Association,…
Written by Daniel Mruzek, PhD, BCBA-D A colleague recently passed along a website that illustrates how Maine’s recently published Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders: State of the Evidence can be used as a resource for evaluating potential treatment options (see Lora Perry’s summary on p. 4 of this issue). The website is maintained by a company called…
Written by Joyce Elizabeth Mauk, MD Advisory Board Member, Association for Science in Autism Treatment President/CEO and Medical Director Child Study Center, Fort Worth, Texas One of the unfortunate byproducts of the media hype relating autism to vaccines is renewed interest in chelation as a treatment for autism. Chelation refers to a medical procedure that…
Can the principles of applied behavior analysis be used to toilet train a child with an autism spectrum disorder? Answered by Frank Cicero, PhD Director of Psychological Services at Eden II Programs Here is the good news…children with autism can be toilet trained through the exact same methods that are used with typically-developing children. And…