scholarly journals Multimodal Interactive Environments for Art Education of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Zalyte-Linkuviene ◽  
◽  
Vytautas Zalys ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Personal Contact ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The World

The emerging of digital technology not only encourages the development of new tools but also changes traditional approaches to solving emerging problems. The sound, music, art and colour that prevailed in the 20th century forms of therapy are being replaced by integrated systems that overcome many of these forms thanks to digital technology. With the increasing number of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the world, such systems provide new opportunities for the educating of such persons. The article presents an interactive tool for the education of children with ASD using audio, video and computer technologies and assesses its potential impact. The aim of this study is to evaluate an interactive instrument developed for the education of children with ASD. The methodology of qualitative research was applied. Following the objectives of ensuring the interactivity of the process, provoking all perceptions of the subject and developing the subject's ability to respond to the environment a personalized audio-visual environment was created. The study was conducted on one subject and a case study method was used. The particularly rapid development of computer technology has transformed a computer from a device consisting of a keyboard and screen into a device that makes all our senses responsive ‒ sound, image, interactivity and real-life simulation. Interactive video projections further highlight the possibilities of combining these media. The opportunity to manage and to participate in such interactions becomes a great opportunity to learn about the world and make personal contact with it, especially for children with ASD.

scholarly journals Machine Learning and Virtual Reality on Body Movements’ Behaviors to Classify Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariano Alcañiz Raya ◽  
Javier Marín-Morales ◽  
Maria Eleonora Minissi ◽  
Gonzalo Teruel Garcia ◽  
Luis Abad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Body Movements ◽  
Children With Asd

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is mostly diagnosed according to behavioral symptoms in sensory, social, and motor domains. Improper motor functioning, during diagnosis, involves the qualitative evaluation of stereotyped and repetitive behaviors, while quantitative methods that classify body movements’ frequencies of children with ASD are less addressed. Recent advances in neuroscience, technology, and data analysis techniques are improving the quantitative and ecological validity methods to measure specific functioning in ASD children. On one side, cutting-edge technologies, such as cameras, sensors, and virtual reality can accurately detect and classify behavioral biomarkers, as body movements in real-life simulations. On the other, machine-learning techniques are showing the potential for identifying and classifying patients’ subgroups. Starting from these premises, three real-simulated imitation tasks have been implemented in a virtual reality system whose aim is to investigate if machine-learning methods on movement features and frequency could be useful in discriminating ASD children from children with typical neurodevelopment. In this experiment, 24 children with ASD and 25 children with typical neurodevelopment participated in a multimodal virtual reality experience, and changes in their body movements were tracked by a depth sensor camera during the presentation of visual, auditive, and olfactive stimuli. The main results showed that ASD children presented larger body movements than TD children, and that head, trunk, and feet represent the maximum classification with an accuracy of 82.98%. Regarding stimuli, visual condition showed the highest accuracy (89.36%), followed by the visual-auditive stimuli (74.47%), and visual-auditive-olfactory stimuli (70.21%). Finally, the head showed the most consistent performance along with the stimuli, from 80.85% in visual to 89.36% in visual-auditive-olfactory condition. The findings showed the feasibility of applying machine learning and virtual reality to identify body movements’ biomarkers that could contribute to improving ASD diagnosis.

The importance of peer mediation in the social functioning of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 594 (9) ◽  
pp. 41-50
Author(s):  
Ewelina Młynarczyk-Karabin
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
Peer Mediation ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Social ◽  
Collaborative Activities

The aim of the article is to indicate the role of peer relationships in the functioning of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and to indicate the potential possibilities of establishing interaction with a peer group. Peer mediation is one of the principles that apply to intervening with students with ASD. It is based on the involvement of peers as social skills trainers and mentors of a student with autism. Through the interaction, peers learn ways to involve a child with ASD in collaborative activities that they initiate themselves or that are planned by their teacher. The basic types of peer mediation include: Integrative Play Groups, Colleague Mentor, Peer Group and Group Oriented Approach. Supporting students with ASD through peer mediation is a method that has been shown to be effective in research. It has a positive effect not only on the development of children with ASD, but also on children with typical development. The implementation of mediation in the peer group is a great opportunity for children with ASD to reduce the risk of being rejected by their peers, and in the future to establish friendships between children.

The Influence of Language Context on Repetitive Speech Use in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 327-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Gladfelter ◽  
Cassidy VanZuiden
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Language Context

Purpose Although repetitive speech is a hallmark characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the contributing factors that influence repetitive speech use remain unknown. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine if the language context impacts the amount and type of repetitive speech produced by children with ASD. Method As part of a broader word-learning study, 11 school-age children with ASD participated in two different language contexts: storytelling and play. Previously collected language samples were transcribed and coded for four types of repetitive speech: immediate echolalia, delayed echolalia, verbal stereotypy, and vocal stereotypy. The rates and proportions of repetitive speech were compared across the two language contexts using Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests. Individual characteristics were further explored using Spearman correlations. Results The children produced lower rates of repetitive speech during the storytelling context than the play-based context. Only immediate echolalia differed between the two contexts based on rate and approached significance based on proportion, with more immediate echolalia produced in the play-based context than in the storytelling context. There were no significant correlations between repetitive speech and measures of social responsiveness, expressive or receptive vocabulary, or nonverbal intelligence. Conclusions The children with ASD produced less immediate echolalia in the storytelling context than in the play-based context. Immediate echolalia use was not related to social skills, vocabulary, or nonverbal IQ scores. These findings offer valuable insights into better understanding repetitive speech use in children with ASD.

scholarly journals Parents’ Perceptions of Early Interventions and Related Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Saudi Arabia

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faihan Alotaibi ◽  
Nabil Almalki
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Early Intervention ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Early Interventions ◽  
Related Services ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Government

<p class="apa">The present study sought to examine parents’ perceptions of early interventions and related services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Saudi Arabia. In this study a survey was distributed to a sample of 80 parents with children who have ASD. Parents also were asked open-ended questions to enable them to provide suggestions. The findings indicate that parents have varying perceptions of early interventions and related services. However, they seem to agree that these services are important in assisting their children. Accordingly, parents have suggested that the government needs to increase these services by providing more centers for children with ASD in Saudi Arabia, providing more specialists to deal with children with ASD, promoting inclusion in regular schools and providing more information on early intervention.</p>

scholarly journals Implication of the Sensory Environment in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Perspectives from School

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7670
Author(s):  
Ana Gentil-Gutiérrez ◽  
José Luis Cuesta-Gómez ◽  
Paula Rodríguez-Fernández ◽  
Jerónimo Javier González-Bernal
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sensory Profile ◽  
School Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Children With Asd

(1) Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) frequently have difficulties in processing sensory information, which is a limitation when participating in different contexts, such as school. The objective of the present study was to compare the sensory processing characteristics of children with ASD in the natural context of school through the perception of professionals in the field of education, in comparison with neurodevelopmental children (2) Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study as conducted with study population consisting of children between three and ten years old, 36 of whom were diagnosed with ASD and attended the Autismo Burgos association; the remaining 24 had neurotypical development. The degree of response of the children to sensory stimuli at school was evaluated using the Sensory Profile-2 (SP-2) questionnaire in its school version, answered by the teachers. (3) Results: Statistically significant differences were found in sensory processing patterns (p = 0.001), in sensory systems (p = 0.001) and in school factors (p = 0.001). Children with ASD who obtained worse results. (4) Conclusions: Children with ASD are prone to present sensory alterations in different contexts, giving nonadapted behavioral and learning responses.

scholarly journals Review of Cognitive Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Performance on Six Subtests on Four Versions of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mizuho Takayanagi ◽  
Yoko Kawasaki ◽  
Mieko Shinomiya ◽  
Hoshino Hiroshi ◽  
Satoshi Okada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Intelligence Scale ◽  
Cognitive Characteristics ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThis study was a systematic review of research using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to examine cognitive characteristics of children with ASD beyond the impact of revisions based on WISC and diagnostic criteria changes. The classic “islets of ability” was found in individuals with full-scale IQs < 100. The “right-descending profiles” were observed among high IQ score individuals. High levels on the Block Design and low Coding levels were consistently found regardless of the variation in intellectual functioning or diagnosis. This review identified patterns of cognitive characteristics in ASD individuals using empirical data that researchers may have previously been aware of, based on their experiences, owing to the increased prevalence of ASD.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Immunoglobulin G Abnormalities and the Therapeutic Use of Intravenous Immunoglobulins (IVIG) in Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 488
Author(s):  
Daniel A Rossignol ◽  
Richard E Frye
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Immunoglobulin G ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Intravenous Immunoglobulins ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Aberrant Behavior ◽  
Children With Asd

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting approximately 2% of children in the United States. Growing evidence suggests that immune dysregulation is associated with ASD. One immunomodulatory treatment that has been studied in ASD is intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG). This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the studies which assessed immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations and the therapeutic use of IVIG for individuals with ASD. Twelve studies that examined IgG levels suggested abnormalities in total IgG and IgG 4 subclass concentrations, with concentrations in these IgGs related to aberrant behavior and social impairments, respectively. Meta-analysis supported possible subsets of children with ASD with low total IgG and elevated IgG 4 subclass but also found significant variability among studies. A total of 27 publications reported treating individuals with ASD using IVIG, including four prospective, controlled studies (one was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study); six prospective, uncontrolled studies; 2 retrospective, controlled studies; and 15 retrospective, uncontrolled studies. In some studies, clinical improvements were observed in communication, irritability, hyperactivity, cognition, attention, social interaction, eye contact, echolalia, speech, response to commands, drowsiness, decreased activity and in some cases, the complete resolution of ASD symptoms. Several studies reported some loss of these improvements when IVIG was stopped. Meta-analysis combining the aberrant behavior checklist outcome from two studies demonstrated that IVIG treatment was significantly associated with improvements in total aberrant behavior and irritability (with large effect sizes), and hyperactivity and social withdrawal (with medium effect sizes). Several studies reported improvements in pro-inflammatory cytokines (including TNF-alpha). Six studies reported improvements in seizures with IVIG (including patients with refractory seizures), with one study reporting a worsening of seizures when IVIG was stopped. Other studies demonstrated improvements in recurrent infections, appetite, weight gain, neuropathy, dysautonomia, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Adverse events were generally limited but included headaches, vomiting, worsening behaviors, anxiety, fever, nausea, fatigue, and rash. Many studies were limited by the lack of standardized objective outcome measures. IVIG is a promising and potentially effective treatment for symptoms in individuals with ASD; further research is needed to provide solid evidence of efficacy and determine the subset of children with ASD who may best respond to this treatment as well as to investigate biomarkers which might help identify responsive candidates.

Exploring Growth in Expressive Communication of Infants and Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
pp. 105381512199557
Author(s):  
Jay Buzhardt ◽  
Anna Wallisch ◽  
Dwight Irvin ◽  
Brian Boyd ◽  
Brenda Salley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Progress Monitoring ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Infants And Toddlers ◽  
Early Communication ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Language Growth

One of the earliest indicators of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is delay in language and social communication. Despite consensus on the benefits of earlier diagnosis and intervention, our understanding of the language growth of children with ASD during the first years of life remains limited. Therefore, this study compared communication growth patterns of infants and toddlers with ASD to growth benchmarks of a standardized language assessment. We conducted a retrospective analysis of growth on the Early Communication Indicator (ECI) of 23 infants and toddlers who received an ASD diagnosis in the future. At 42 months of age, children with ASD had significantly lower rates of gestures, single words, and multiple words, but significantly higher rates of nonword vocalizations. Children with ASD had significantly slower growth of single and multiple words, but their rate of vocalization growth was significantly greater than benchmark. Although more research is needed with larger samples, because the ECI was designed for practitioners to monitor children’s response to intervention over time, these findings show promise for the ECI’s use as a progress monitoring measure for young children with ASD. Limitations and the need for future research are discussed.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition Profiles of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Using a Classification and Regression Trees Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 073428292110259
Author(s):  
Brittany A. Dale ◽  
W. Holmes Finch ◽  
Kassie A. R. Shellabarger ◽  
Andrew Davis
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Intelligence Scale ◽  
Cart Analysis ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Classification And Regression ◽  
Pattern Of Performance

The Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC) are the most widely used instrument in assessing cognitive ability, especially with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous literature on the WISC has demonstrated a divergent pattern of performance on the WISC for children ASD compared to their typically developing peers; however, there is a lack of research concerning the most recent iteration, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V). Due to the distinctive changes made to the WISC-V, we sought to identify the pattern of performance of children with ASD on the WISC-V using a classification and regression (CART) analysis. The current study used the standardization sample data of the WISC-V obtained from NCS Pearson, Inc. Sixty-two children diagnosed with ASD, along with their demographically matched controls, comprised the sample. Results revealed the Comprehension and Letter-Number Sequencing subtests were the most important factors in predicting group membership for children with ASD with an accompanying language impairment. Children with ASD without an accompanying language impairment, however, were difficult to distinguish from matched controls through the CART analysis. Results suggest school psychologists and other clinicians should administer all primary and supplemental subtests of the WISC-V as part of a comprehensive assessment of ASD.

scholarly journals Developing a Culturally Sensitive ICF-Based Tool to Describe Functioning of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: TEA-CIFunciona Version 1.0 Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 3720
Author(s):  
Silvana B. Napoli ◽  
María Paula Vitale ◽  
Pablo J. Cafiero ◽  
María Belén Micheletti ◽  
Paula Pedernera Bradichansky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
International Classification Of Functioning ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Practice Methods ◽  
Icf Core Sets ◽  
Family Centered

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects the daily functioning of children and their families; however, in Argentina, there are no standardized tools to guide the description, evaluation, and follow-up of functioning and disability of children with ASD. To fill this gap, the overarching purpose of this study was to create a novel tool guided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) Core Sets for ASD for clinical practice. Methods: A multistep methodology was used to identify the most relevant ICF categories for an Argentinian clinical setting. The content of this ICF-based shortlist was piloted and revised according to the results. Subsequently, a toolbox of measures was proposed to operationalize each ICF category. Finally, profiles of the functioning of 100 children with ASD were created. Results: An ICF-based tool called TEA-CIFunciona was created, consisting of 32 ICF categories (10 body functions, 15 activities and participation, 7 environmental factors categories). The application of TEA-CIFunciona incorporated a family-centered approach in ASD evaluations and helped identify functional needs. Conclusions: TEA-CIFunciona is the first ICF-based instrument that guides the description of functioning of children with ASD in Argentina. TEA-CIFunciona standardizes collaborative assessments in pediatric ASD populations in Latin American contexts.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document