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Three years after being hired by the Norwalk School District, Norwalk, Connecticut to provide behavior analysis services to its students with autism, Stacy Lore, who operated a business called Spectrum Kids, LLC, is being held under $200,000 bond after multiple indictments for forgery, larceny and criminal impersonation. Ms. Lore is accused of falsely representing herself as holding a Doctorate in Psychology and certification by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board to the Norwalk School Board, which on that basis contracted her services in March of 2007; Ms. Lore was also contracting out her services on a private-pay basis to local families, and to other Connecticut and New York School districts. By August of 2008 multiple complaints related to accounting, service delivery, professional behavior, and lack of progress and regression in some children was reported, leading parents within the district to demand investigation and action. Even after receiving notification from the BACB that Ms. Lore was not a BACB certificant, the district did not immediately terminate her contract resulting in parents to eventually direct their inquiries to the state Attorney General and file Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to discover the extent of background checking that was done before Ms. Lore's hire.
As events have unfolded under investigation with the involvement of the Norwalk School Board, the Attorney General, the legal counsel of Norwalk Public Schools, and the Norwalk Police Department, it has come to light that Ms. Lore's credentials were not checked before her hiring. Discovery has been made that not only is she not a BACB certificant holder nor a Psychology Doctorate, but her highest level of education appears to be that of a Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) awarded from BOCES in New York State.
Ms. Lore is currently charged with three counts each of second-degree forgery, first-degree larceny and criminal impersonation. The amount in question is $170,000. This case has been transferred to the Part A dockett at Stamford, Connecticut Superior Court, with her next court appearance scheduled for April 14, 2010. Civil suits have been filed by parents against Lore and the City of Norwalk.
One outcome from this situation is that legislation was crafted by the Connecticut Attorney General and Suzanne Letso, M.A., BCBA, Co-founder and CEO of the Connecticut Center for Child Development to require certain competencies from those delivering behavior analytic services in Connecticut; the bill, CT HB 5425: An Act Concerning Special Education, is currently in the 2010 legislature.
The case involving Ms. Lore bears similarity to that of the 2006 case of Nancie Fisher in New Jersey, who also claimed false credentials and was indicted and eventually convicted of fraud involving over $200,000.
For more information
Lore case sparks new legislation to ensure therapists are qualified
Posted on 03/31/2010
By STEVE KOBAK. Hour Staff Writer. The Hour Online
[May require registration to read]
'Autism Expert' Arrested for faking credentials (VIDEO) 2:06
April 01, 2010. 6:24 p.m. ET
Lore Held on $200K Bond, Parents React
Moira Noor
The Daily Norwalk, April 1, 2010
Phony Autism Therapist, Stacy Lore, Arrested
Joan Gaylord, The Daily Norwalk
March 31, 2010
A Norwalk Public School scandal shows that Connecticut has no idea how to teach children with autism
Lauri Brett
November 20, 2009
Final Decision in the Matter of a Complaint by Margaret Bustell agains Superintendent of Schools, Norwalk Public Schools; and Norwalk Public Schools
Freedom of Information Commission of the State of Connecticut
May 13, 2009
Legal counsel confirms Lore lacked credentials to serve Norwalk schools
Posted on 02/10/2009,
Joan Gaylord, Hour Staff Writer. The Hour Online
[May require registration to read]
Duff assures Spectrum Kids clients on FOI case
Joan Gaylord, Hour Staff Writer. The Hour Online
Posted on 10/19/2008
[May require registration to read]
Special Ed Company Snagged In Accounting Audit
October 7, 2008
Update: Fake New Jersey behavior therapist is indicted for impersonating nurse.[On Nancie Fisher case]
May 14, 2006; updated May 17--Behavior News
Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan (BAAM)
Behavior Analyst Certification Board
Consumer Guidelines for Identifying, Selecting, and Evaluating Behavior Analysts Working with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders [pdf]
Autism Special Interest Group of ABA International
Connecticut Superior Court
Past posts
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
State legislation Quicktake:Connecticut H.B. 5425 passes from Education Committee with joint favorable substitute
© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
Live video stream March 23, 2010 11:15 AM EDT (8:15 AM PDT) President Obama Signs the Health Insurance Reform Bill 27:07 minutes The White House
Related posts
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Federal legislation: U.S. House passes Senate health care reform bill to be signed into law; reconciliation act goes to the Senate
© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
Below is a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice announcing a request for a preliminary injunction against the Conway Human Development Center in Conway, AR. The filing, besides its own stated merits, provides a case study on several grounds: the nature of the points made in the DOJ's filing and prior discovery; the background of lack of appropriate training in and application of behavioral assessment and intervention for both behavior management and re/habilitative purposes; allegations of violation of FAPE/IDEA; what constitutes appropriate standards of care and ethical professional practice; the discussion of Federal statute and prior case law in application of certain techniques, monitoring and community-based care. Links in this post were added to press release text to simplify access to primary documents referenced.
-----------------------------
" Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, March 9, 2010 Justice Department Files for Immediate Relief Regarding Conditions at Conway Human Development Center, in Conway, Arkansas
The Justice Department today asked the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas to take immediate action to prevent children from being admitted to the Conway Human Development Center(CHDC) in Conway, Ark. The department’s motion for preliminary injunction aims to prevent the segregation of children with developmental disabilities in dangerous conditions and to address accusations of imminent and serious threats to the safety of the facility’s more than 500 current residents.
In January 2009, the Justice Department filed a complaint against the State of Arkansas to enforce the federal requirement that individuals with disabilities be served in the most integrated settings appropriate, and to remedy unconstitutional conditions at CHDC. Information collected through discovery since the filing of the complaint has led the department to conclude that residents face increasing and grave risk of harm with each day that deficiencies are ignored, and that Arkansas fails to serve individuals in the most integrated setting appropriate to the residents’ needs.
The United States has concluded that children at the facility are particularly vulnerable given allegations that CHDC residents are subjected to dangerous medication mismanagement and harmful, unnecessary restraints. In recent years, at least three CHDC residents have died, suffered possible permanent organ damage or been at risk of hemorrhaging to death because of psychotropic medication mismanagement. CHDC also continues to utilize 41 different forms of mechanical restraints on both children and adults, including straitjackets, restraint chairs and papoose boards - practices that have been largely barred from other facilities for years.
"The State has a responsibility to ensure the safety of individuals who reside in state-run facilities, and we must act swiftly when the state does not live up to that responsibility," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Civil Rights Division. "Individuals with developmental disabilities have the right to live in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs, and states must take swift action to ensure that all individuals are accorded these basic rights." In addition to barring inappropriate restraints and requiring safeguards to prevent dangerous medication practices, the motion seeks to require that the state remove barriers to the provision of supports and services in the community, so that individuals with disabilities, including the approximately 50 children at CHDC, are not forced to choose between an unsafe institution and the denial of necessary services in a more integrated setting.
Between June 1, 2007, and Oct. 1, 2009, a CHDC resident was more likely to die than be discharged to a more integrated setting. On average, CHDC residents die at the age of 46.5 years, compared with the average age of 72 years for other individuals with developmental disabilities living in institutional settings. The number of individuals with developmental disabilities who are waiting to receive community-based services is on the rise in Arkansas, with over 1,300 currently waiting to receive services through the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services Alternative Community Services waiver program, with an average wait time of approximately two and a half years.
The Civil Rights Division is authorized to conduct investigations under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). CRIPA authorizes the Attorney General to investigate conditions of confinement in certain institutions owned or operated by, or on behalf of, state and local governments. In addition to residential facilities serving persons with developmental disabilities, these institutions include psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes, jails, prisons and juvenile correctional facilities. The ADA authorizes the Attorney General to investigate whether a state is serving individuals in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs. Please visit http://www.justice.gov/crt to learn more about CRIPA, the ADA and other laws enforced by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. 10-242 Attorney General"
----------------------------- For reference, further reading
Selected briefs
Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act Briefs
Developmental Disability and Mental Retardation Facilities Complaints - United States v. State of Arkansas (Conway Human Development Center)
United States v. State of Arkansas; The Honorable Mike Beebe; John M. Selig; James C. Green, Ph.D.; Calvin Price
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
On March 12, 2010, Special Masters of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims rejected assertions that thimerosal preserved vaccines [ 2008 Test Cases: Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines (Theory 2)] contributed to development of autism, and dismissed claims to compensation in a trio of Autism Omnibus test cases .
The representative test cases are,
- King v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 03-584V
- Mead v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 03-215V
- Dwyer v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 03-1202V
These test cases represent the strongest out of the 5000+ claims to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) claiming autism causation through vaccine injury and are to inform possible compensation to those claims or not. In all three test cases, the Special Masters found that the petitioners were unable to prove grounds for compensation by evidence sufficient to meet the "Althen standard" [ Althen v. HHS].
"It is certainly my hope that our society will find ways to ensure that generous assistance is available to the families of all autistic children, regardless of the cause of their disorders. Such families must cope every day with tremendous challenges in caring for their autistic children, and all are deserving of sympathy and admiration. However, I must decide this case not on sentiment, but by analyzing the evidence. Congress designed the Program to compensate only the families of those individuals whose injuries or deaths can be linked causally, either by a Table Injury presumption or by a preponderance of “causation-in-fact” evidence, to a listed vaccine. In this case, the evidence advanced by the petitioners has fallen far short of demonstrating such a link."
3/12/2010 Special Master Hastings
King v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 03-584V "Petitioners’ theory of vaccine-related causation is scientifically unsupportable. In the absence of a sound medical theory causally connecting William’s received vaccines to his autistic condition, the undersigned cannot find the proposed sequence of cause and effect to be logical or temporally appropriate. Having failed to satisfy their burden of proof under the articulated legal standard, petitioners cannot prevail on their claim of vaccine-related causation."
3/12/2010 Special Master Campbell-Smith
Mead v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 03-215V "Unfortunately, the Dwyers (and uncounted other parents of children with ASD) have relied upon practitioners and researchers who peddled hope, not opinions grounded in science and medicine. My heart goes out to parents like the Dwyers who struggle daily, emotionally and financially, to care for their children, but I must decide cases based on the law and not sentiment. The law in this case requires preponderant evidence that TCVs caused or substantially contributed to Colin’s ASD, and, by that standard, petitioners are not entitled to compensation"
3/12/2010 Special Master Vowell
Dwyer v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 03-1202V
A claim for a judicial review within the Court of Federal Claims on a Special Master's ruling can be made with possibilities of outcome from such review being to affirm the decision of the Special Master, to set aside findings of fact and conclusions of law that might be arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or to remand the case for further action in accordance with the Court's direction After such review there remains an option of an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
On February 12, 2009 the first three Autism Omnibus cases positing a connection between the Measles-Mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines [ 2007 Test Cases: MMR and Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines (Theory 1)] in causing autism
- Cedillo v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 98-916V
- Snyder v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 01-162V
- Hazlehurst v. Secretary of Health and Human Services Case No. 03-654V
were also rejected by the Special Masters on similar grounds. Judicial reviews of the February 12, 2009 decisions sustained the decisions of the Special Masters. Two of these three cases have filed appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
For further reading and reference
' Vaccines court' rejects mercury-autism link in 3 test cases
By Thomas H. Maugh II
Los Angeles Times
March 12, 2010 | 12:57 p.m.
Autism vaccine ruling sparks a lot of comment
Los Angeles Times
March 12, 2010 | 5:32 pm
Vaccine court finds no link to autism
CNN Health
March 12, 2010 6:58 p.m. EST
Autism Decisions and Background Information
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Omnibus Autism Proceeding
Audio and transcripts of the Omnibus Autism trials
About the Omnibus Autism Proceeding
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)
Health Resources and Services Administration
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
A newsstory which received wide international press in November of 2009 was that of Rom Houben, the Belgian patient who was reported as having demonstrated almost miraculous abilities to communicate via Facilitated Communication; this after 23 years of being in a persistent vegetative state after a car accident. Among reports at the time was that Mr. Houben was planning to write a book.
After more rigorous controlled testing by Mr. Houben's neurologist, Dr. Steven Laureys, it has been found that the communication was a function of the Facilitator's communication, not Mr. Houben's.
All Things Considered February 17, 2010
Book-Writing Man In Coma Fails Communication Test
February 17, 2010 2:29PM
Scott Hensley
Shots: NPR's Health Blog
Doubts about 'coma man' were spot on
February 15, 2010 7:00 PM
Andy Coghlan, reporter
Short Sharp Science blog, New Scientist
Facilitated Communication Case Fails to Deliver
Darcy Cowan Feb 16
Scepticon, Sciblogs
Green, Gina , Ph.D. “Facilitated Communication: Mental Miracle Or Sleight Of Hand?,” Skeptic vol. 2, no. 3, 1994, pp. 68-76.
ABA International Statement on Facilitated Communication, 1995
© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
 2/10/10 - 6:45PM PST: post amended to correct day for the date. Also clarifying note that roman numeral "V" = "5".Wednesday, February 10, 2010 the American Psychiatric Association (APA) unveiled the proposed initial draft recommendations for the fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM), the manual used to diagnose mental disorders. When completed and adopted, the DSM-V would supercede the current version, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision ( DSM-IV-TR). The American Psychiatric Association has set up a website with the proposed initial draft recommendations of the revisions developed by the DSM-5 Work Groups. Viewers will be able to submit comments until April 20, 2010. After the April 20th date, the site will still be available for viewing, but comments will not longer be taken. Further steps before release would be field testing of the proposed revisions and final changes. The process for developing the DSM-5 began a decade ago, with an initial research planning conference under the joint sponsorship of the APA and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Additional global research planning conferences, under the auspices of the American Psychiatric Institute for Research and Education (APIRE), the World Health Organization, and three institutes of the National Institutes of Health produced a series of monographs, which helped lay the groundwork for the revisions. The APA’s DSM-5 Task Force and Work Group members were identified in 2007; they are tasked with reviewing scientific advances and research to develop draft diagnostic criteria in diagnostic categories of psychiatric disorders. While many changes are planned for the DSM-V, two that were given some attention by the press on Tuesday was the replacement of pediatric bipolar disorder with "Temper Dysregulation Disorder", and removal of Asperger's Syndrome as a separate diagnosis and placement under the Autism Spectrum Disorder category, The anticipated release of the DSM-V is May 2013; this release date was delayed from initial projections to allow coordination with the scheduled U.S. implementation on October 1, 2013 of the International Classification of Diseases-10-Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) (World Health Organization/WHO) codes for all Medicare/Medicaid claims reporting. Chapter V of the ICD-10-CM is Mental and behavioral disorders. A related development is that the ICD is also in revision to ICD-11 - that revised version is expected to be released in 2014 or 2015. --------------------- For further readingAmerican Psychiatric Association DSM-5 DevelopmentRevising Book on Disorders of the MindBy BENEDICT CAREY
New York Times
Published: February 10, 2010[This article discusses the timeline for the DSM-V and steps towards the final version and coordination witht he ICD-10-CM] Why is DSM-5 Being Delayed?Alan F. Schatzberg, M.D.
Psychiatric News January 1, 2010
Volume 45 Number 1 Page 3 [This article gives a quick rundown on some proposed revisions] APA Releases Proposed Draft of the DSM-5Caroline Cassels
Medscape Medical News
February 10, 2010[In reference to the folding of Asperger's Syndrome into the Autism Spectrum Disorders] Opinion: Disorder Out of ChaosBy ROY RICHARD GRINKER
New York Times
Published: February 9, 2010
International Classification of Diseases (ICD)© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
 On Thursday February 4, 2010, the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor by bipartisan vote of 34-10 passedH.R. 4247: The Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act.
"To prevent and reduce the use of physical restraint and seclusion in schools, and for other purposes". This bill seeks to define in all U.S. schools minimum standards of appropriate use, reporting and accountability of restraint and seclusion use. H.R. 4247 was introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives on December 9, 2009 by Representatives George Miller (Dist.7-CA) and Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (Dist.5-WA). The impetus for the bill's introduction was a May 19, 2009 hearing before the full House Committee on Education and Labor, which received wide national attention. At that hearing, the Governmental Accounting Office (GAO) submitted to the Committee its investigative report, Seclusions and Restraints: Selected Cases of Death and Abuse at Public and Private Schools and Treatment Centers. GAO-09-719T, May 19, 2009
A similar bill also in the U.S. Congress is the Senate bill, S.2680 (Dodd), "A bill to protect students from inappropriate seclusion and physical restraint, and for other purposes" The next step for H.R. 4247 is the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. ---------------------------- For further reading and referenceH.R. 4247: The Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act. Seclusions and Restraints: Selected Cases of Death and Abuse at Public and Private Schools and Treatment Centers. GAO-09-719T, May 19, 2009 MYTH VS. FACT: Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in the Schools ActBy Kittredge, Betsy Miller on February 3, 2010 11:05 AMBipartisan Legislation to Prevent Abuse in Schools Clears House CommitteeFebruary 4, 2010 12:30 PMLawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Children from Abuse in SchoolsDecember 9, 2009 12:15 PMGAO Report Finds Hundreds of Allegations of Abusive and Deadly Uses of Seclusion and Restraint in SchoolsMay 19, 2009 3:07 PM© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
On February 2, 2010, the prestigious UK medical journal The Lancet published a formal retraction of the 1998 paper authored by Dr. Andrew Wakefield and 12 co-authors asserting that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) was linked to gastrointestinal disturbance and pervasive developmental disorders. Such a retraction constitutes a repudiation of the findings and a removal from the scientific record; in essence as if the article was never originally published. RETRACTION:Retraction—Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in childrenThe Lancet, Early Online Publication, 2 February 2010 doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60175-7 (This article made available free by The Lancet with registration as a service to readers. ) removing from the scientific record, Wakefield, A.J., Murch, S.H., Anthony, A., Linnell, J., Casson, D.M., Malik,M., et al. (1998). Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. The Lancet, 351(9103), 637-641. This retraction comes just days after the January 28, 2010 ruling by the UK's General Medical Council in a 2 1/2 year investigation of allegations that Wakefield and two co-authors, John Walker-Smith and Simon Murch were guilty of serious breaches of research ethics, and engaged in unethical practice and non-adherence to the terms of ethics committee approval for the research described in the 1998 article. Wakefield in particular was reprimanded for dishonesty and irresponsibility in the conducting of the research for the 1998 article. Previous to this hearing, 10 of the 13 original authors of the study retracted their names from the article. Wakefield, Walker-Smith and Murch will return before the GMC in early April, at which time it will be determined whether there was guilt of serious professional misconduct. In the event of such a determination, sanctions up to loss of license to practice medicine could be applied. ------------------------------- References and for further readingMurch, S.H., Anthony, A., Casson, D.H., Malik, M., Berelowitz, M., Dhillon, A.P., Valentine, A., Davies, S.E., & Walker-Smith, J.A. (2004). Retraction of an interpretation. The Lancet, 363(9411), 750. This article is stated by The Lancet to be available free of charge with registration. Summary of the background and specific inquiries made by the GMCMedia reports Report linking autism to vaccines is retracted by medical journalBy Thomas H. Maugh II
February 2, 2010 | 9:34 a.m.
Los Angeles Times
Lancet Renounces Study Linking Autism And VaccinesScott Hensley
National Public Radio(NPR)12:25 pm
February 2, 2010Lancet accepts MMR study 'false'By Nick Triggle
Health reporter, BBC News
Page last updated at 14:22 GMT, Tuesday, 2 February 2010U.K. General Medical Council Rules Wakefield & Co. "Dishonest," "Irresponsible"2010-01-28 15:25
The Neurodiversity WeblogFrom the Lancet to the GMC: how Dr Andrew Wakefield fell from graceSarah Boseley, health editor
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 28 January 2010 15.37 GMTMMR scare doctor 'acted unethically', panel findslast updated at 17:35 GMT, Thursday, 28 January 2010
By Nick Triggle
Health reporter, BBC News Andrew Wakefield found 'irresponsible' by GMC over MMR vaccine scareSarah Boseley, health editor
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 28 January 2010 20.34 GMTDoctor in disgraceJanuary 29, 2010
TimesOnline (UK)© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
On January 4, 2010 Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, published online two articles related to the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Both articles are currently available in free full-text at the Pediatrics website,and professionals working with the ASD population may find them of value for their own education and in their roles in serving individuals with ASD. The first is a consensus report based on the review of current available evidence by an expert panel (composition of the panel, evaluative process and resulting twenty-three statements described in the full report). Because evidence-based recommendation was not achievable at this time, this consensus report was produced, with a footnote included that, "The guidance in this article is not intended to advocate for an exclusive course of treatment or to represent a standard of medical care. Individual circumstances will determine variations that may be appropriate."
Buie T, et al " Evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in individuals with ASDs: a consensus report" Pediatrics 2010; 125: S1-S18. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-1878C http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/125/Supplement_1/S1ABSTRACT: Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are common and clinically heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders. Gastrointestinal disorders and associated symptoms are commonly reported in individuals with ASDs, but key issues such as the prevalence and best treatment of these conditions are incompletely understood. A central difficulty in recognizing and characterizing gastrointestinal dysfunction with ASDs is the communication difficulties experienced by many affected individuals. A multidisciplinary panel reviewed the medical literature with the aim of generating evidence-based recommendations for diagnostic evaluation and management of gastrointestinal problems in this patient population. The panel concluded that evidence-based recommendations are not yet available. The consensus expert opinion of the panel was that individuals with ASDs deserve the same thoroughness and standard of care in the diagnostic workup and treatment of gastrointestinal concerns as should occur for patients without ASDs. Care providers should be aware that problem behavior in patients with ASDs may be the primary or sole symptom of the underlying medical condition, including some gastrointestinal disorders. For these patients, integration of behavioral and medical care may be most beneficial. Priorities for future research are identified to advance our understanding and management of gastrointestinal disorders in persons with ASDs.Pediatrics 2010;125:S1–S18
The second, Buie T, et al " Recommendations for evaluation and treatment of common gastrointestinal problems in children with ASDs" Pediatrics 2010; 125: S19-S29. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2009-1878D http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/125/Supplement_1/S19includes differential diagnostic and treatment guidelines which make reference to the consensus report. ABSTRACT: Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) can benefit from adaptation of general pediatric guidelines for the diagnostic evaluation of abdominal pain, chronic constipation, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. These guidelines help health care providers determine when gastrointestinal symptoms are self-limited and when evaluation beyond a thorough medical history and physical examination should be considered. Children with ASDs who have gastrointestinal disorders may present with behavioral manifestations. Diagnostic and treatment recommendations for the general pediatric population are useful to consider until the development of evidence-based guidelines specifically for patients with ASDs. Pediatrics 2010;125:S19–S29
As a sidebar to the newsstories on the Pediatrics articles, it was noted in one news report that there is a current well-designed and controlled study at the University of Rochester that is anticipated to provide useful information on the effects of the gluten-free/casein-free diet on children with ASD, and that Autism Speaks will be issuing its own recommendations on treatment, including diet, within the year via its Autism Treatment Network. FOR FURTHER READING, REFERENCEPediatrics Gastrointestinal Consensus Statement & Recommendations Provide First Step Toward Needed Guidelines for Children with AutismAutism SpeaksNo Proof Yet That Special Diets Ease AutismExperts say that, for now, parents should work with their child's doctors
By E.J. Mundell
HealthDay Reporter, BusinessWeekNIMH study NCT00090428, Diet and Behavior in Young Children With Autism. Autism Speaks Autism Treatment NetworkPediatrics - Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics © 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
Disclaimer: This blog publishes news and announcements only as a service to interested persons, the posts are the responsibility of the individual author, and unless otherwise noted do not constitute nor claim to represent the official position of ABA International, its officers or associated entities. This blog makes no representation as to the accuracy of the report and readers are strongly encouraged to consult and reference the primary sources noted.
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