Treatment Planning for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Individualized, Problem–Solving Approach

A new way of thinking about treatment planning to support children with autism spectrum disorders

Rooted in evidence–based practices, Treatment Planning for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders provides a seven–step dynamic treatment planning process. The book shows how a variety of current interventions and treatments can be incorporated into this process and includes applications of different approaches for tackling different problems. The nine illustrative case vignettes cover a wide variety of ages, developmental challenges, learning and social profiles, and school and family circumstances.

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xv

About the Authors xvii

1 Introduction: Looking at Treatment Planning Through a Different Lens 1

Defining Best Practices 2

Media Overload 3

A New Way of Thinking about Autism Treatment 4

Core Deficits of Autism 5

How the Book is Organized 5

Case Studies 8

About the Appendices 10

2 What is Evidence Based Practice? 11

What is So Important About EBP? 12

Common Errors in Evaluating Treatments 12

Emotions Versus Logic 14

How Can Treatments be Evaluated? 16

History of Evidence Based Practice in Psychology 17

Brief History of EBP and Autism 18

Evolution and Expansion of EBP 20

EBP as it Pertains to Autism 22

The Evolution of Treatment Models and Terminology 24

Client Voice in What to Treat and How to Treat 27

What is Important to Study? What is Important to Treat? 32

The Role Context in Treatment Selection 34

Positive and Negative Policy Implications of uses of EBP in Autism Treatments 35

Conclusions and Recommendations 37

3 The Individualized, Problem–Solving Treatment Process 39

Treatment Process 39

4 Jamal: A Previously Happy Preschooler Disengages 71

5 Katherine: A Nine Year Old Learns to Cope with Hew Own Explosive Episodes 85

6 Brandon: Developmental Delays and OCD present a Big Challenge for a Non–verbal Preschooler 103

7 Rafael: A Happy, Well–Behaved 6–Year–Old Becomes Increasingly Rigid 119

8 Alex: Extreme Mood Dysregulation Interferes with School and Home Functioning for a Fourth Grader 139

9 Emily: A Passive Teenager Begins to Learn Self–Help Skills 157

10 Chen: A Teenager With Asperger s Hits Bottom, But With Help and Determination, Heads for College 173

11 Michael: A 10–Year–Old Whose Behaviors Are Becoming More Disruptive and Aggressive 189

12 Jake: A 5–Year–Old Who Has Responded Well to Floortime 207

Afterword 215

Appendix: Autism Treatment Approaches 221

References 229

Author Index 239

Subject Index 243

Naomi Chedd, LMHC, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and an Educational Consultant in private practice.  She specializes in the behavioral, social/emotional, and mental health issues related to children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Prader–Willi Syndrome, and other developmental disabilities.

Karen Levine, PhD is a Licensed Psychologist and Instructor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.  She was co–founder and co–director of Boston Children s Hospital′s former Center for Autism and Related Disorders Clinic and worked in the field of developmental disabilities for twenty–five years. She is the 2012 recipient of thefirst Lesley University Austim Hero Award.