The use of sign languages, as well as a picture exchange communication system PECS , is also recommended as a tool in developing speech in children with autism. A number, if not all, individuals with autism have sensory issues in varying degrees from mild to severe. Sensory therapies may be very beneficial for improvement. This therapy focuses on three senses: vestibular or the sense of motion and balance, tactile or the sense of touch, and proprioception or the sense of locomotion, movement, or position.
There are many techniques used in sensory integration to normalize the senses of people on the spectrum. This therapy aims to improve the auditory processing of children with autism, as well as to eliminate their sensitivity to sound and reduce their behavioral problems.
Among such challenges may include a short attention span, excessive eye movements, difficulty scanning or tracking movements, being easily distracted, toe walking, and being cautious when walking up or down the stairs.
The conduct of a vision training program involving the use of ambient prism lenses and visual-motor exercises may lessen or totally eliminate many of these issues. The use of the colored or tinted lenses called Irlen lenses in this program is also proven to be effective in treating autistic individuals with hypersensitivity to certain types of lighting like fluorescent lights and bright sunlight, as well as those with difficulty reading printed texts.
This type of therapy is a family-based behavioral treatment designed to address a core issue of ASD, namely, the development of social skills and friendships. The six main objectives of RDI are social coordination, declarative language, emotional referencing, flexible thinking, foresight and hindsight, and relational information processing.
Training under this type of therapy usually starts with the parents or caregivers of autistic children. An RDI consultant conducts extensive training of the parents or caregivers so they may effectively interact with their children. This type of therapy may be as effective as a treatment for individuals with regressive autism. Steroids have been successfully used in treating related epileptic syndromes like the Landau-Kleffner syndrome LKS , which is linked to speech regression and acquired epileptiform aphasia.
Steroids have also been proven to be an effective treatment for multiple neurological disorders such as epilepsy, muscular dystrophies, and encephalitis. In a study involving the drug prednisolone as a steroid therapy, children treated with the drug showed major improvements in their receptive and expressive language skills, as well as in their frequency modulated auditory evoked response FMAER. However, there are possible side effects of the use of steroids, so parents and caregivers of kids with autistic regression should do several consultations with physicians before administering it to their children.
Some medications include antidepressant drugs like Prozac Fluoxetine , Lexapro, and Zoloft Sertraline , as well as antipsychotic drugs such as Risperdal Risperidone.
These drugs are effective in treating autism symptoms like anxiety, panic attacks, and aggression. It is recommended that sufficient consultations with specialist physicians be conducted before giving these drugs to individuals with ASD. Caring for kids with autism can be challenging and tough for parents and caregivers. Here are some tips to consider when caring for children in the spectrum:. Regressive autism and the other types of autism spectrum disorders can be very challenging conditions for both parents and their affected children.
However, with the right strategies, a positive outlook, and determination, these challenges can be identified and managed. Various advancements in medical research show that effective treatments are already on the horizon. We hope you enjoyed this article.
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We respect the privacy of your email address and will never sell or rent your details. Autism Parenting Magazine. Enter your email below to receive the free guide and get top autism tips to your inbox. Regressive Autism — Why It Occurs.
Don't miss out on our special offer. Click here to find out more. Support Autism Parenting Magazine We hope you enjoyed this article. Where shall we send the PDF? The researchers reported that children with autism who regress have some defining characteristics. They are more likely to have intellectual disability than those who do not regress — a finding consistent with the notion that regression in children tracks with severe autism.
These children also tend to have repetitive behaviors. If so, learning to reliably spot signs of regression could expedite diagnosis and treatment.
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The condition is also known as autism with regression, autistic regression, setback-type autism, and acquired autistic syndrome. Regressive autism was for many years considered being a rare occurrence and classified as a subtype of autism. However, recent studies confirm that anywhere from 13 to 48 percent of autism diagnoses are of the regressive type , depending on how regression is defined.
Today, this condition is no longer considered an exception, and most researchers believe that there is no clear divide between early onset and regression when it comes to autism. Many children with regressive autism show some less apparent symptoms of the condition even before they start losing language and social skills. In fact, autism is thought to have a range of different onset patterns, including:.
Regressive autism typically starts between the ages of 15 and 30 months. The average age at which a decline in skills is observed in children diagnosed with regressive autism is 19 months.
The loss of verbal and nonverbal communication and social skills in an otherwise typically developing child can be slow or rapid. It is usually followed by a lengthy period of stagnation in skill development.
The most common early signs of regressive autism in children include:. In addition, children with regressive autism may exhibit other signs and symptoms typical of autism spectrum disorder, such as:. Specialists and health professionals will rely on a variety of tools to test whether your child has autism spectrum disorder. Multidisciplinary assessment teams typically consist of a psychologist, a speech pathologist, as well as a pediatrician or child psychiatrist.
Once your child is diagnosed with regressive autism, specialists will help you identify the most suitable treatment plan. Although full recovery from autism may not be possible, appropriate therapy can provide autistic children with the tools to function independently and significantly improve their condition. It is crucial that a child with regressive autism receives the proper diagnosis early on. The earlier treatment begins, the better outcomes can be achieved, reducing and even eliminating some of the symptoms.
Because every child with autism spectrum disorder is different, progress will vary from one child to another. Experts recommend the use of various behavioral and educational therapies as effective treatments for autistic children, including those diagnosed with regressive autism. Applied behavior analysis is a form of behavioral therapy that focuses on changing unwanted behaviors while reinforcing desirable ones.
It is one of the most successful interventions for helping children with autism learn desired behaviors. With an over 90 percent improvement rate, ABA therapy is currently the most effective form of autism treatment.
This type of therapy is used to build and strengthen social and communication skills in children with autism spectrum disorder such as:. ABA therapy breaks down each of the essential skills into small, concrete steps. It then builds toward more significant changes in functioning and independence levels. An ABA therapy session typically consists of a combination of play, direct instructions, various activities, adaptive skills training, and parent guidance.
Applied behavioral analysis therapy uses positive reinforcement in the form of rewards and other incentives. When a desirable behavior is followed by a motivator, like a special toy or activity, children are more likely to repeat the action. Over time, this method can encourage positive behavioral changes in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Most children with autism spectrum disorder have at least some degree of sensory processing dysfunction like over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to light, sound, smell, taste, or touch. In fact, sensory issues are among the principal symptoms of autism. They are also believed to be the underlying reason for common autistic behaviors such as rocking, spinning, and hand-flapping. Sensory integration therapy focuses on normalizing three senses: vestibular the sense of motion and balance , tactile the sense of touch , and proprioception the sense of movement.
Sensory integration sessions include activities that stimulate sensory responses, and in particular those related to balance and physical movement such as swinging, bouncing, or climbing. This method helps autistic children learn how to use all their senses together and how to interpret and use sensory information more effectively. Sensory integration therapy is designed to be part of more comprehensive programs for children with autism, including speech therapy, behavioral therapy, and educational therapy.
It is typically provided by an occupational therapist. Children on the autism spectrum usually have a number of communication and speech-related challenges. While some autistic children are not able to speak at all, others have difficulties maintaining a conversation or understanding body language and facial expressions when talking with others. Speech therapy helps improve verbal, nonverbal, and social communication and at the same time teaches children with autism how to communicate in more functional ways.
Speech therapy is done by a speech-language pathologist SLP. Based on this assessment, the speech-language pathologist will set a goal for the therapy. Some skills that your child may work on include:. Autistic children with severe language problems may find it easier to use augmentative and alternative communication AAC systems. In this case, speech therapy will particularly focus on teaching communication through either picture exchange communication systems PECS , sign language, or speech output devices such as DynaVox.
Visual problems are common in children with autism and include issues such as:. The goal of vision treatment is to help autistic children organize their visual space, improve eye coordination and enhance visual information processing.
Achieving these goals can help the child feel less overwhelmed by visual stimuli and interact more easily with its environment. Vision training is typically done by a vision therapist. It involves eye exercises and the use of ambient prism lenses that are worn in standard eyeglass frames, but feature wedge prism lenses instead of regular refractive ones.
This type of therapy may lessen or totally eliminate many of the issues related to vision.
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