Today [14.01.16] has seen the publication of two important, linked reports on how local authorities are doing with meeting their responsibilities to support autistic adults in England:
Autism Self-Assessment Exercise 2014
Progress Report on Think Autism: the updated strategy for adults with autism in England.
The LGA has launched a series of case studies that illustrate the positive work councils are undertaking with their local partners to support people living with autistic spectrum conditions (ASC) in their communities.
There have been hints from previous literature that antidepressants taken by pregnant women may have an effect on fetal brain development, and specifically may predispose to autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Researchers in Quebec used a registry covering the Province's entire population to try and establish whether such a link exists (Boukhris T, et al. JAMA Peds 2015. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.3356). They identified over 145 000 infants born between 1998 and 2009, in whom they could analyse data on prescribing antidepressant drugs immediately before or during pregnancy. …..To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details
This report shows what has been achieved since the publication of ‘Think Autism’, which updated the cross-government autism strategy in April 2014. It also sets 31 new actions to continue to help local areas implement the autism strategy.
The report also outlines work to help people with autism live as full and independent lives as possible
Open access. Autism is associated with impairments that have life-time consequences for diagnosed individuals and a substantial impact on families. There is growing interest in early interventions for children with autism, yet despite the substantial economic burden, there is little evidence of the cost-effectiveness of such interventions with which to support resource allocation decisions. This study reports an economic evaluation of a parent-mediated, communication-focused therapy carried out within the Pre-School Autism Communication Trial (PACT).
Blog post. Better detection rates for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) mean the chances of having a colleague with the diagnosis, or being diagnosed yourself, have never been so high. But what’s it like to be "working while ASD"? A new paper published in the Journal of Applied Psychology suggests the age when a person is diagnosed is key. Those diagnosed later in life are less likely to fully identify with the label of autism and with the ASD community more broadly, shaping their attitudes and feelings about how they are treated in the workplace.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting on the overall outcome in terms of a global measure of adjustment in children with autistic disorders followed up in adolescence and adulthood. Login using your SSSFT NHS OpenAthens for full text. SSOTP - request a copy of the article from the library - www.sssft.nhs.uk/library
‘How Fish Climb Trees’ is an exciting and innovative project which has been developed in partnership by A4U and Ignition Arts. The project will establish a high quality Theatre Company for members of Shropshire Autism Hub.
Changes have been made to the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the recent revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), and similar changes are likely in the WHO International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) due in 2017. In light of these changes, a new clinical disorder, social (pragmatic) communication disorder (SPCD), was added to the neurodevelopmental disorders section of DSM-5. This article describes the key features of ASD, SPCD and the draft ICD-11 approach to pragmatic language impairment, highlighting points of overlap between the disorders and criteria for differential diagnosis. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details
The article presents the author's view on the issue of gender bias in the diagnosis of the psychological disorder known as autism. Topics discussed include a brief description of the psychological disorder as presented by the National Autistic Society, the opinions of cognitive scientist Liz Pellicano on the common perception of autism by the medical community, and the importance of conducting additional research in the study of autism among girls and women. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Until recently, the focus of many within the 'autism service industry' has been on children and young adults who are on the autism spectrum where 'service transition' usually refers specifically to the transition from children to adult service provision. This article explores 'service transition' from the opposite end of the age scale, that of old age, and incorporates the views of older adults who are on the autism spectrum. In order to design and provide a service that is 'fit for purpose', training of health professionals and consulting with people on the autism spectrum is crucial. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Health care and educational legislation and policy require that clinicians demonstrate, using measurement and report of outcomes, accountability for services rendered. Clinical algorithms have been developed and are used by various health care professionals to assist with hypothesis generation and systematic clinical reasoning; however, they do not explicitly guide measurement of outcomes as part of the reasoning process. Schaaf and colleagues developed the Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM) process to address the greater need for outcome measurement, systematically support decision making, target intervention more precisely, and measure and document outcomes. This article describes the application of the DDDM process with a child with ASD who received occupational therapy using Ayres Sensory Integration®. Library Services do not currently have access to this journal, but you can request a copy of the article online and we will try to get a copy to you: http://bit.ly/1Xyazai
We're currently making some changes in the background of our email updates to solve some problems we've been having recently. During our testing phase this may automatically generate some alerts, which will show below, but you can ignore these! If all goes according to plan we will be resuming normal service in the next week…