Communication growth in minimally verbal children with ASD: The importance of interaction / Charlotte DISTEFANO in Autism Research, 9-10 (October 2016)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism Research > 9-10 (October 2016) . - p.1093-1102 Titre : Communication growth in minimally verbal children with ASD: The importance of interaction Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Charlotte DISTEFANO, Auteur ; Wendy SHIH, Auteur ; Ann P. KAISER, Auteur ; Rebecca LANDA, Auteur ; Connie KASARI, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1093-1102 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : minimally verbal  language  communication  intervention Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Little is known about language development in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) who remain minimally verbal past age 5. While there is evidence that children can develop language after age 5, we lack detailed information. Studies of this population generally focus on discrete language skills without addressing broader social-communication abilities. As communication and social deficits are both inherent to ASD, an examination of not only what language skills are acquired, but how those skills are used in interactions is relevant. Research in typical development has examined how communication interchanges (unbroken back-and-forth exchanges around a unified purpose) develop, which can be used as a framework for studying minimally verbal children. This study examined the interchange use by 55 children with ASD over the course of a 6-month play and engagement-based communication intervention. Half of the children received intervention sessions that also incorporated a speech-generating device (SGD). Interchanges were coded by: frequency, length, function, and initiator (child or adult). Results indicated that children initiated a large proportion of interchanges and this proportion increased over time. The average length and number of interchanges increased over time, with children in the SGD group showing even greater growth. Finally, children's total number of interchanges at baseline was positively associated with their spoken language gains over the course of intervention. This study supports the crucial relationship between social engagement and expressive language development, and highlights the need to include sustained communication interchanges as a target for intervention with this population. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.1594 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=294 [article] Communication growth in minimally verbal children with ASD: The importance of interaction [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Charlotte DISTEFANO, Auteur ; Wendy SHIH, Auteur ; Ann P. KAISER, Auteur ; Rebecca LANDA, Auteur ; Connie KASARI, Auteur . - p.1093-1102. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism Research > 9-10 (October 2016) . - p.1093-1102 Mots-clés : minimally verbal  language  communication  intervention Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Little is known about language development in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) who remain minimally verbal past age 5. While there is evidence that children can develop language after age 5, we lack detailed information. Studies of this population generally focus on discrete language skills without addressing broader social-communication abilities. As communication and social deficits are both inherent to ASD, an examination of not only what language skills are acquired, but how those skills are used in interactions is relevant. Research in typical development has examined how communication interchanges (unbroken back-and-forth exchanges around a unified purpose) develop, which can be used as a framework for studying minimally verbal children. This study examined the interchange use by 55 children with ASD over the course of a 6-month play and engagement-based communication intervention. Half of the children received intervention sessions that also incorporated a speech-generating device (SGD). Interchanges were coded by: frequency, length, function, and initiator (child or adult). Results indicated that children initiated a large proportion of interchanges and this proportion increased over time. The average length and number of interchanges increased over time, with children in the SGD group showing even greater growth. Finally, children's total number of interchanges at baseline was positively associated with their spoken language gains over the course of intervention. This study supports the crucial relationship between social engagement and expressive language development, and highlights the need to include sustained communication interchanges as a target for intervention with this population. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aur.1594 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=294

Concomitant medication use in children with autism spectrum disorder: Data from the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials / Logan SHURTZ in Autism, 27-4 (May 2023)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 27-4 (May 2023) . - p.952-966 Titre : Concomitant medication use in children with autism spectrum disorder: Data from the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Logan SHURTZ, Auteur ; Chloe SCHWARTZ, Auteur ; Charlotte DISTEFANO, Auteur ; James C MCPARTLAND, Auteur ; April R LEVIN, Auteur ; Geraldine DAWSON, Auteur ; Natalia M KLEINHANS, Auteur ; Susan FAJA, Auteur ; Sara J WEBB, Auteur ; Frederick SHIC, Auteur ; Adam J NAPLES, Auteur ; Helen SEOW, Auteur ; Raphael A BERNIER, Auteur ; Katarzyna CHAWARSKA, Auteur ; Catherine A SUGAR, Auteur ; James DZIURA, Auteur ; Damla SENTURK, Auteur ; Megha SANTHOSH, Auteur ; Shafali S JESTE, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.952-966 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : aberrant behavior checklist,antipsychotics,autism spectrum disorders,clinical trials,medications,Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Children with autism spectrum disorder are prescribed various medications to address behavior and mood. In clinical trials, individuals taking concomitant psychotropic medications often are excluded to maintain homogeneity and prevent contamination of clinical endpoints. However, this choice may compromise the representativeness of the sample. In a recent study designed to identify biomarkers and endpoints for clinical trials (the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials), school-age children with autism spectrum disorder were enrolled without excluding for medications, providing the opportunity to examine characteristics of psychotropic medication use and guide future decisions on medication-related inclusion criteria. The aims of the current analysis were (1) to quantify the frequency and type of psychotropic medications reported in school-age children enrolled in the study and (2) to examine behavioral features of children with autism spectrum disorder based on medication classes. Of the 280 children with autism spectrum disorder in the cohort, 42.5% were taking psychotropic medications, with polypharmacy in half. The most commonly reported psychotropic medications included melatonin, stimulants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, alpha agonists, and antipsychotics. Our findings suggest that exclusion of children taking concomitant psychotropic medications could limit the representativeness of the study population, perhaps even excluding children who may most benefit from new treatment options.Lay abstractChildren with autism spectrum disorder are prescribed a variety of medications that affect the central nervous system (psychotropic medications) to address behavior and mood. In clinical trials, individuals taking concomitant psychotropic medications often are excluded to maintain homogeneity of the sample and prevent contamination of biomarkers or clinical endpoints. However, this choice may significantly diminish the clinical representativeness of the sample. In a recent multisite study designed to identify biomarkers and behavioral endpoints for clinical trials (the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials), school-age children with autism spectrum disorder were enrolled without excluding for medications, thus providing a unique opportunity to examine characteristics of psychotropic medication use in a research cohort and to guide future decisions on medication-related inclusion criteria. The aims of the current analysis were (1) to quantify the frequency and type of psychotropic medications reported in school-age children enrolled in the ABC-CT and (2) to examine behavioral features of children with autism spectrum disorder based on medication classes. Of the 280 children with autism spectrum disorder in the cohort, 42.5% were taking psychotropic medications, with polypharmacy in half of these children. The most commonly reported psychotropic medications included melatonin, stimulants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, alpha agonists, and antipsychotics. Descriptive analysis showed that children taking antipsychotics displayed a trend toward greater overall impairment. Our findings suggest that exclusion of children taking concomitant psychotropic medications in trials could limit the clinical representativeness of the study population, perhaps even excluding children who may most benefit from new treatment options. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221121425 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=499 [article] Concomitant medication use in children with autism spectrum disorder: Data from the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Logan SHURTZ, Auteur ; Chloe SCHWARTZ, Auteur ; Charlotte DISTEFANO, Auteur ; James C MCPARTLAND, Auteur ; April R LEVIN, Auteur ; Geraldine DAWSON, Auteur ; Natalia M KLEINHANS, Auteur ; Susan FAJA, Auteur ; Sara J WEBB, Auteur ; Frederick SHIC, Auteur ; Adam J NAPLES, Auteur ; Helen SEOW, Auteur ; Raphael A BERNIER, Auteur ; Katarzyna CHAWARSKA, Auteur ; Catherine A SUGAR, Auteur ; James DZIURA, Auteur ; Damla SENTURK, Auteur ; Megha SANTHOSH, Auteur ; Shafali S JESTE, Auteur . - p.952-966. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism > 27-4 (May 2023) . - p.952-966 Mots-clés : aberrant behavior checklist,antipsychotics,autism spectrum disorders,clinical trials,medications,Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Children with autism spectrum disorder are prescribed various medications to address behavior and mood. In clinical trials, individuals taking concomitant psychotropic medications often are excluded to maintain homogeneity and prevent contamination of clinical endpoints. However, this choice may compromise the representativeness of the sample. In a recent study designed to identify biomarkers and endpoints for clinical trials (the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials), school-age children with autism spectrum disorder were enrolled without excluding for medications, providing the opportunity to examine characteristics of psychotropic medication use and guide future decisions on medication-related inclusion criteria. The aims of the current analysis were (1) to quantify the frequency and type of psychotropic medications reported in school-age children enrolled in the study and (2) to examine behavioral features of children with autism spectrum disorder based on medication classes. Of the 280 children with autism spectrum disorder in the cohort, 42.5% were taking psychotropic medications, with polypharmacy in half. The most commonly reported psychotropic medications included melatonin, stimulants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, alpha agonists, and antipsychotics. Our findings suggest that exclusion of children taking concomitant psychotropic medications could limit the representativeness of the study population, perhaps even excluding children who may most benefit from new treatment options.Lay abstractChildren with autism spectrum disorder are prescribed a variety of medications that affect the central nervous system (psychotropic medications) to address behavior and mood. In clinical trials, individuals taking concomitant psychotropic medications often are excluded to maintain homogeneity of the sample and prevent contamination of biomarkers or clinical endpoints. However, this choice may significantly diminish the clinical representativeness of the sample. In a recent multisite study designed to identify biomarkers and behavioral endpoints for clinical trials (the Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials), school-age children with autism spectrum disorder were enrolled without excluding for medications, thus providing a unique opportunity to examine characteristics of psychotropic medication use in a research cohort and to guide future decisions on medication-related inclusion criteria. The aims of the current analysis were (1) to quantify the frequency and type of psychotropic medications reported in school-age children enrolled in the ABC-CT and (2) to examine behavioral features of children with autism spectrum disorder based on medication classes. Of the 280 children with autism spectrum disorder in the cohort, 42.5% were taking psychotropic medications, with polypharmacy in half of these children. The most commonly reported psychotropic medications included melatonin, stimulants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, alpha agonists, and antipsychotics. Descriptive analysis showed that children taking antipsychotics displayed a trend toward greater overall impairment. Our findings suggest that exclusion of children taking concomitant psychotropic medications in trials could limit the clinical representativeness of the study population, perhaps even excluding children who may most benefit from new treatment options. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221121425 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=499

EEG data collection in children with ASD: The role of state in data quality and spectral power / Charlotte DISTEFANO in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 57 (January 2019)  

Public ISBD [article]  inResearch in Autism Spectrum Disorders > 57 (January 2019) . - p.132-144 Titre : EEG data collection in children with ASD: The role of state in data quality and spectral power Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Charlotte DISTEFANO, Auteur ; Abigail DICKINSON, Auteur ; Elizabeth BAKER, Auteur ; Shafali SPURLING JESTE, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.132-144 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : Autism spectrum disorder  Intellectual disability  EEG  Spectral power Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background Electroencephalography can elucidate neurobiological mechanisms underlying heterogeneity in ASD. Studying the full range of children with ASD introduces methodological challenges stemming from participants’ difficulties tolerating the data collection process, leading to diminished EEG data retention and increased variability in participant ‘state’ during the recording. Quantifying state will improve data collection methods and aide in interpreting results. Objectives Observationally quantify participant state during the EEG recording; examine its relationship to child characteristics, data retention and spectral power. Methods Participants included 5–11 year-old children with ASD (N?=?39) and age-matched TD children (N?=?16). Participants were acclimated to the EEG environment using behavioral strategies. EEG was recorded while participants watched a video of bubbles. Participant ‘state’ was rated using a Likert scale (Perceived State Rating: PSR). Results Participants with ASD had more elevated PSR than TD participants. Less EEG data were retained in participants with higher PSR scores, but this was not related to age or IQ. TD participants had higher alpha power compared with the ASD group. Within the ASD group, participants with high PSR had decreased frontal alpha power. Conclusions Given supportive strategies, EEG data was collected from children with ASD across cognitive levels. Participant state influenced both EEG data retention and alpha spectral power. Alpha suppression is linked to attention and vigilance, suggesting that these participants were less ‘at rest’. This highlights the importance of considering state when conducting EEG studies with challenging participants, both to increase data retention rates and to quantify the influence of state on EEG variables. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2018.10.001 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=371 [article] EEG data collection in children with ASD: The role of state in data quality and spectral power [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Charlotte DISTEFANO, Auteur ; Abigail DICKINSON, Auteur ; Elizabeth BAKER, Auteur ; Shafali SPURLING JESTE, Auteur . - p.132-144. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders > 57 (January 2019) . - p.132-144 Mots-clés : Autism spectrum disorder  Intellectual disability  EEG  Spectral power Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Background Electroencephalography can elucidate neurobiological mechanisms underlying heterogeneity in ASD. Studying the full range of children with ASD introduces methodological challenges stemming from participants’ difficulties tolerating the data collection process, leading to diminished EEG data retention and increased variability in participant ‘state’ during the recording. Quantifying state will improve data collection methods and aide in interpreting results. Objectives Observationally quantify participant state during the EEG recording; examine its relationship to child characteristics, data retention and spectral power. Methods Participants included 5–11 year-old children with ASD (N?=?39) and age-matched TD children (N?=?16). Participants were acclimated to the EEG environment using behavioral strategies. EEG was recorded while participants watched a video of bubbles. Participant ‘state’ was rated using a Likert scale (Perceived State Rating: PSR). Results Participants with ASD had more elevated PSR than TD participants. Less EEG data were retained in participants with higher PSR scores, but this was not related to age or IQ. TD participants had higher alpha power compared with the ASD group. Within the ASD group, participants with high PSR had decreased frontal alpha power. Conclusions Given supportive strategies, EEG data was collected from children with ASD across cognitive levels. Participant state influenced both EEG data retention and alpha spectral power. Alpha suppression is linked to attention and vigilance, suggesting that these participants were less ‘at rest’. This highlights the importance of considering state when conducting EEG studies with challenging participants, both to increase data retention rates and to quantify the influence of state on EEG variables. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2018.10.001 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=371

Parents’ Adoption of Social Communication Intervention Strategies: Families Including Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Who are Minimally Verbal / Stephanie Y. SHIRE in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45-6 (June 2015)  

Public ISBD [article]  inJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 45-6 (June 2015) . - p.1712-1724 Titre : Parents’ Adoption of Social Communication Intervention Strategies: Families Including Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Who are Minimally Verbal Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Stephanie Y. SHIRE, Auteur ; Kelly GOODS, Auteur ; Wendy SHIH, Auteur ; Charlotte DISTEFANO, Auteur ; Ann P. KAISER, Auteur ; Courtney WRIGHT, Auteur ; Pamela MATHY, Auteur ; Rebecca LANDA, Auteur ; Connie KASARI, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1712-1724 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : Parent training  Autism  Minimally verbal  Intervention  Coaching Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Notably absent from the intervention literature are parent training programs targeting school-aged children with autism who have limited communication skills (Tager-Flusberg and Kasari in Autism Res 6:468–478, 2013). Sixty-one children with autism age 5–8 with minimal spontaneous communication received a 6-month social communication intervention including parent training. Parent–child play interactions were coded for parents’ strategy implementation and children’s time jointly engaged (Adamson et al. in J Autism Dev Disord 39:84–96, 2009). Parents mastered an average of 70 % of the strategies. Further analyses indicated some gains in implementation occurred from mere observation of sessions, while the greatest gains occurred in the first month of active coaching and workshops. Children’s joint engagement was associated with parents’ implementation success across time demonstrating parents’ implementation was relevant to children’s social engagement. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2329-x Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=259 [article] Parents’ Adoption of Social Communication Intervention Strategies: Families Including Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Who are Minimally Verbal [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Stephanie Y. SHIRE, Auteur ; Kelly GOODS, Auteur ; Wendy SHIH, Auteur ; Charlotte DISTEFANO, Auteur ; Ann P. KAISER, Auteur ; Courtney WRIGHT, Auteur ; Pamela MATHY, Auteur ; Rebecca LANDA, Auteur ; Connie KASARI, Auteur . - p.1712-1724. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 45-6 (June 2015) . - p.1712-1724 Mots-clés : Parent training  Autism  Minimally verbal  Intervention  Coaching Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Notably absent from the intervention literature are parent training programs targeting school-aged children with autism who have limited communication skills (Tager-Flusberg and Kasari in Autism Res 6:468–478, 2013). Sixty-one children with autism age 5–8 with minimal spontaneous communication received a 6-month social communication intervention including parent training. Parent–child play interactions were coded for parents’ strategy implementation and children’s time jointly engaged (Adamson et al. in J Autism Dev Disord 39:84–96, 2009). Parents mastered an average of 70 % of the strategies. Further analyses indicated some gains in implementation occurred from mere observation of sessions, while the greatest gains occurred in the first month of active coaching and workshops. Children’s joint engagement was associated with parents’ implementation success across time demonstrating parents’ implementation was relevant to children’s social engagement. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2329-x Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=259

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