Author Archives: Marlena Smith

Teaching Stranger Danger Skills to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

By Marlena Smith | Published: August 29, 2011

Normally, when deciding which skills to include in a child’s ABA program, they are prioritized based on which skills the child is likely to use most. While the likelihood of ever using stranger danger skills is slim to none (hopefully none), teaching these skills is nevertheless important to better ensure the safety of children with ASD. Thus in this study, CARD researchers set out to evaluate a stranger danger training procedure that can realistically be incorporated into a child’s ABA program.

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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

Autism-Friendly Broadway Showing of The Lion King

By Marlena Smith | Published: August 23, 2011

To support an autism-friendly environment, some changes have been made to the production. These include the elimination of startling sounds and strobe lights. In addition, quiet areas equipped with beanbag chairs, coloring books, and trained staff will be stationed in the theatre lobby for those who need a break from the performance. The TDF also provides a downloadable social story that illustrates what members of the audience can expect during their trip to the theatre.

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Posted in Autism Events | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Training Behavioral Therapists to Administer Brief Preference Assessments

By Marlena Smith | Published: August 9, 2011

In a recent study, CARD Researchers Dr. Michele Bishop and Dr. Amy Kenzer found group classroom training to be effective in teaching behavioral therapists to administer brief preference assessments to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A major component of applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment is the delivery of preferred stimuli as reinforcement. Therefore, preference assessments are conducted to identify highly preferred stimuli. Such assessments ought to be conducted frequently since a child’s preferences may change. For this reason, Dr. Michele Bishop and Dr. Amy Kenzer set out to evaluate the effectiveness of classroom training in teaching behavioral therapists to administer brief preference assessments to children with ASD during therapy sessions.

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Posted in Autism Research | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Behavioral Intervention to Increase Compliance with Liquid Medications

By Marlena Smith | Published: August 4, 2011

In a recent study, CARD researchers Averil Schiff, Dr. Jonathan Tarbox, Taira Lanagan, and Peter Farag found behavioral intervention to increase compliance with liquid medications in a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children with ASD often have trouble taking medications in both pill and liquid form. For this reason, CARD researchers set out to evaluate the effectiveness of behavioral intervention in improving compliance with liquid medications in a child with ASD.

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Posted in Autism Research | Tagged , , , , , | 25 Comments

Prenatal Exposure to Antidepressants and Autism Spectrum Disorders

By Marlena Smith | Published: July 29, 2011

Participants were identified via the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Northern California. A total of 298 children with ASD and 1,507 children with typical development were included in the study. Pharmacy records were used to determine maternal antidepressant usage during the year prior to delivery (i.e., the 3 months prior to conception and throughout the gestational period). Antidepressants were classified into three groups: SSRIs, dual-action antidepressants, and tri-cyclic antidepressants.

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Blue Shield of California Agrees to Cover ABA Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders

By Marlena Smith | Published: July 15, 2011

On Monday July 11, the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) reached a settlement with Blue Shield of California, in which Blue Shield agreed to cover applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment for autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

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Posted in Insurance | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

Genetics versus Environment in Autism Spectrum Disorders

By Marlena Smith | Published: July 11, 2011

Potential participants were identified through the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS). Both identical and fraternal twin pairs were eligible to participate if they were born between 1987 and 2004, and at least one twin was reported to have an ASD diagnosis. A total of 1,156 twin pairs were identified through the DDS, however, due to limited participation from families, only 202 twin pairs were included in the study. All participants received comprehensive diagnostic evaluations to confirm diagnoses of autistic disorder or broader ASD.

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Posted in Autism Research | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Family Structure and Autism Spectrum Disorders

By Marlena Smith | Published: July 5, 2011

Although this statistic has been used time and again, its origin and supportive research are unknown. While there have been many speculations about elevated parental divorce rates for children with ASD, very little research has actually been conducted to estimate the frequency of divorce in this population. For this reason, Dr. Freedman and colleagues conducted the first population-based study to explore family structures of children with ASD.

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Posted in Autism Research, Autism Therapy | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Routine Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorders

By Marlena Smith | Published: June 28, 2011

Dr. Al-Qabandi and colleagues set out to review existing research in order to determine whether routine ASD screening would be appropriate for the entire population. Findings of various research studies were used to evaluate how routine ASD screening measured against a number of criteria.

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Posted in Autism Research, Autism Treatment | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

The American Academy of Pediatrics Proposes Changes to U.S. Chemical Management Policy

By Marlena Smith | Published: June 22, 2011

We come in contact with countless chemicals found in the products we use day-to-day. Although we encounter these chemicals regularly, little is known about the extent to which these chemicals adversely affect our health. Moreover, the ways in which these chemicals impact the health of children during crucial developmental stages (e.g., in utero, infancy, childhood, and adolescence) is not fully understood. For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Council on Environmental Health suggests revisions to United States (U.S.) policy on chemical management to better support the health of children, pregnant women, and other populations.

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Posted in Autism Research | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments