April 2008
Health & Safety: Can Autism Be Prevented?
The high rate of autism – affecting one in 150 children by the latest estimates – begs for a way to prevent this distressing disorder, but without a clear cause, this goal seems far off. Undaunted, the University of Washington has launched the first-ever autism prevention study to find a way to lower these odds.
Researchers have not identified a cause for the disorder, which is marked by difficulties with social interactions and communication. Although it is highly inheritable, scientists are still identifying the genes involved and how they may interact with each other or with environmental factors to produce autism.
In the meantime, it’s critical to act early: early detection and treatment of autism help the most. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently recommended that pediatricians screen all babies for autism during their checkups. This is in stark contrast to the wait-and-see approach advocated in the past.
The new study takes this early approach further by asking whether treating a child early, even before a diagnosis can be made, can alter the course of autism development. “Starting so early … before signs are present and right when the very first signs start to emerge (may) improve outcomes, and maybe even make it so that fewer children go on to develop autism,” says Dr. Annette Estes, associate director of the UW Autism Center and head of the clinical assessment part of the study.
The study is currently recruiting 200 babies who have an older sibling with autism because they are at high risk for autism themselves, with up to one in 20 developing the disorder. All babies will receive evaluations at 6, 12 and 24 months of age, and referrals to services if any signs of autism are detected. In addition, half of the babies will receive an experimental behavioral intervention consisting of two phases.
The first phase enrolls mothers in a program that raises awareness about infant development, including their babies’ fledgling attempts at communication and what they like in interactions. Originally designed for typically-developing children, the program may also improve developmental outcomes for children at risk for autism.
This program “focuses parents on what they’re doing well in terms of promoting their child’s development,” says Estes. For example, the training promotes “baby talk,” the lilting, high-pitched voice many parents use with their infants. Although some parents may feel embarrassed by, or even against, baby-talking to their children, research has shown that babies actually prefer this type of speech and it can expedite their language development.
If babies receiving the experimental intervention show signs of autism at 12 months, they will go onto the second phase, which addresses their deficits in social and communication skills. “There are specific ways of increasing (these skills) that we’ve learned from working with young children with autism,” says Estes. The program will help parents implement these techniques, and a team of specialists will come to the home to work directly with the child.
Involving parents in these interventions does not mean that their way of parenting causes autism. “We know that parents don’t cause autism,” says Estes. Instead, the study is leveraging the knowledge parents have about their kids to promote their development. “Parents are really the ones who know their children the best,” Estes adds. “Kids are designed to interact with their parents early on, not with a team of interventionists.”
Parents may also draw support from these interventions when they don’t yet know whether their infants will develop autism as their older children did. “It’s really a time of stress and concern for some parents,” says Estes. “We’re hoping that this intervention can reduce parent stress and worry, as well as promote optimal outcomes for the kids.”
The prevention study is part of a much larger $11.3 million project that is looking for early risk factors for autism. This multidisciplinary project will characterize the genetics, brain development and behavior in this high-risk group to discover predictors of autism.
For more information about eligibility for participating in the study, contact the UW Autism Center at 800-994-9701 or visit www.depts.washington.edu/uwautism.
Michele Solis is a freelance science writer with a Ph.D. in neuroscience. She is a contributor to the Autism Speaks Web site.
Early Warning Signs for Autism If your baby has any of these signs, he or she may be at risk for autism. Ask your doctor for an evaluation.
This list is reprinted with permission from First Signs, Inc., a national nonprofit organization dedicated to educating parents and pediatric professionals about the early warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders. For more information, go to www.firstsigns.org or to the book, Could It Be Autism? A Parent’s Guide to the First Signs and Next Steps by First Signs founder and president, Nancy D. Wiseman. |
Helpful Web Sites University of Washington Autism Center: www.depts.washington.edu/uwautism. |
| Intensive Course Offered on Autism Spectrum
Disorder
April is National Autism Awareness Month. As the numbers of people with autism are growing rapidly, people from all walks of life need to better understand how to work and be with those on the Autism Spectrum. Judith Bluestone, 2004 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis award winner (and Washington state Jefferson Award winner) for creating the HANDLE approach to neurodevelopmental challenges, has created a new course, “Get a HANDLE® on Autism Spectrum Disorders.” The intensive 12-hour training will be offered for the first time in the Seattle area April 12-13 at Roxhill Elementary School, 9430 30th Ave S.W. in Seattle. It is recommended for parents, educators and therapists. Carolyn Nuyens, who has 20 years of experience working with ASD, and is a HANDLE certified practitioner and instructor, will lead the course, which includes both practical activities you can do to help and knowledge of how to understand behaviors and improve communication. Bluestone’s book, The Fabric of Autism, provides the basis for the concepts and practices taught in this course, and is required reading. The full-cost registration fee is $365, and
early/group rates apply. Call 206-204-6000 for further information
or to register, or e-mail frontdesk@handle.org. |
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