HEALTH & MEDICINE :: JUNE/JULY 2007
Autism: A Puzzle Waiting to be Solved
Most people in the United States have been touched by Autism in some way. You may have a child or relative with the disorder. Your children may have a friend at school or in an extracurricular activity that has Autism. The fact is that, today, out of every 166 children born in the US, one will have some form of Autism. In 1990 one child with Autism was born out of every 10,000 births. Does this sound like an epidemic to you?
So what causes Autism and how can it be cured? There are many theories about the cause of Autism. Some believe that a form of mercury which was used as a preservative in childhood vaccines is a primary cause. Genetic factors, heavy metal toxicity, and complications at birth have all been given some scrutiny over the last several years. The fact is: we don’t know what causes Autism. Most researchers are leaning toward a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Only recently has the federal government addressed this growing problem by allocating more funding for re-search and treatment. Sadly, heads have been in the sand far too long, and valuable years that could have produced some answers have been lost. Consequently, we haven’t even come close to a cure.
Autism is a complex multi-system puzzle. Children who are affected have sensory, language, social and emotional deficits that appear in varying degrees. Autism Spectrum Disorder actually consists of five distinct disorders, each of which has its own peculiar traits. Most common are Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder. Children with Autism tend to have severe language deficits as well as sensory and internal regulation issues. Those with Pervasive Developmental Disorder may have similar issues but to a lesser degree. Children with Asperger’s Disorder tend to have some sensory deficits, social quirkiness and, sometimes, a very high IQ. Typically, children are diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder by the age of 3 to 6 years.
While we don’t have a cure, we do know a great deal about what will lead a child to the best chance for recovery. By recovery we mean that a child will become a functional member of society consistent with his or her ability. Effective treatment should begin as early as possible. A combination of behavioral and cognitive training strategies can help a child learn to be an effective social communicator and learn to have improved internal regulation. As children get older, patterns of behavior and communication become harder to change; however, we have had success with people well into their young adult years. Other treatment options have also proven to be very helpful, such as occupational therapy, auditory processing therapies, nutritional supports, medical care by physicians who understand the complex nature of Autism, chiropractic care, and carefully designed educational and behavior support programs. Medication is frequently used; however, the use of drugs can cause its own set of problems due to side effects and the difficulty inherent in selecting an appropriate medication. Autistic children can’t always verbalize what hurts, so it is essential that caregivers be able to look for medical or neurological issues that may be triggering unacceptable behavior.
Behavior strategies have come a long way as clinicians have been formally exposed to Applied Behavior Analysis, Floor Time, SCERTS and various cognitive approaches to help train children, parents, teachers and other caregivers in the most effective treatment consistent with the needs of each child. Clearly, Autism does not allow for a cookie cutter approach to treatment. Each child has unique challenges as well as unique gifts that need to be considered as a positive behavior support plan is developed. Most importantly, in my view, is how all of the care-giving partners are trained to support the child. Unlike some other childhood disorders, those that provide support for Autistic children need to be committed for the long haul. This is truly a journey of incremental steps, carefully planned and executed. Recently, some school districts have started offering transition programs for high school age children on the Autism Spectrum. This is a good step forward even though it has taken time to arrive. A definite improvement in these programs would be to start them at seventh grade instead of waiting for High School. Those children who won’t make it to college—and some will—need to have as many functionally-based educational opportunities as possible before leaving the school system at age twenty-one.
We have all come a long way in the last 15 years in our understanding of Autism and what constitutes effective treatment. The next 5 to 10 years will be critical if we are to find cause and cure for this complex disorder. It may be a puzzle today, but if we put our considerable resources to work, I am sure the puzzle will become a beautiful picture.
The mission of Integrated Behavior Solutions is to provide effective behavioral health services to the special needs community in an ethical and affordable manner. We celebrate the dignity and possibilities of every life and make opportunities available for unique people to do unique things. Our professional staff provides assessment, treatment, education and training for families and schools. We use a variety of empirically-based treatment methods to address conditions such as autism spectrum disorders, anxiety, attention deficits, and developmental delays. Our clients range in age from 2 to 30 and live in southeastern Pennsylvania, northern Delaware and southern New Jersey. Our training programs for our older clients include life skills, preparation for community-based living, and vocational preparation and placement. Call (610) 636-6248 and speak with Dr. Bailey directly if you have a child with behavioral issues, Autism, or a child having difficulty making transitions into a life of self-determination.
Dr. Ron Bailey, Ed.D., BCBA, has a doctorate in developmental education and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. In addition, he has an MA in clinical counseling and an M.Div. with a major in marriage and family therapy. Dr. Bailey has extensive experience working in the demanding field of autism spectrum disorders, developmental disabilities, ADHD, conduct disorders and anxiety related disorders. For 30 years he has worked in home, school, community, residential and church settings while designing unique programs for varied client populations. Dr. Bailey designs training programs and conducts workshops for schools, universities, parent support groups, and professional environments.
In addition to his work with children and their families, Dr. Bailey has extensive experience working with adults with developmental challenges. He has provided behavioral consulting services for agencies in Philadelphia, Chester, Montgomery and Delaware counties and numerous school districts.
Here is what our clients say:
“Dr. Ron has been a real bright spot in dealing with my son’s autism behaviors. All we ever got from other “professionals” was that we should give more medication. Medications caused more problems because they had such horrible side effects. Dr. Ron provided interventions that actually worked and his staff was so caring. We think of our support team as friends as well as therapists because they do more than ‘just a job’. They have all shown warmth, caring and compassion while working with our family.” ~Grateful. Beth M.
“My son has Asperger’s Disorder. We spent years trying to find help with behavior problems and finding an appropriate school placement. When Sam left High School at age 21 we had no idea what we were going to do. He was intelligent but hadn’t been prepared for work or higher education. When we were introduced to Dr. Bailey we had been disappointed so many times we didn’t know if we had the energy to work with yet another therapist. We took another desperate risk and agreed to do an assessment of behaviors and vocational skills. Within just a few weeks we had a plan and support staff to help us implement it. Within 3 months the support staff was gone and Sam was working a part time job. We are really glad we took one more chance on Integrated Behavior Solutions and Dr. Bailey.” ~Tracy C., Wilmington
