Erica Pitman, LMSW

Today’s post is by Erica Pitman, LMSW, social worker at the YAI Autism Center.

Impacts of Autism Diminished through a Specific Early Intervention Approach

A recent study conducted at the University of California and other sites around the country and funded by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), indicates that early intervention for children diagnosed with autism improved their I.Q. scores and levels of functioning.

To families who have children with autism, this news may not seem altogether groundbreaking. Families of children with autism and other disabilities have been fighting for early intervention services for many years, asserting the needs of their children to their local district administrators, pediatricians, educators and therapists.  Parents are often their children’s best advocates.

What is newsworthy about this story is the effectiveness of a specific treatment modality that has not yet been buttressed by a large-scale research study. The model tested was The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), created by Dr. Sally Rogers of the University of California-Davis M.I.N.D. Institute and Dr. Geraldine Dawson of Autism Speaks. The study looked at this form of intervention for children between 18 and 30 months old over a two-year period. This study compared the Denver Model against more traditional therapies, such as Applied Behavior Analysis—currently, the most common form of treatment for children with autism, and that which is the most outcome-oriented, based upon existing research.

The ESDM was shown to improve general intelligence skills, increasing I.Q. scores by up to 18 points, patterns of communication and social interaction. This was achieved by training parents to interact and teach their children in a very specific way. The therapy took place predominantly in the home by the parents, and through skills that are transferred from the parents to their children. Thus, parents can more easily carry over therapeutic concepts into daily interactions with their children, increasing the likelihood of generalization and impact. This study marks the first controlled study of a specific intervention modality for children suspected of having autism who are younger than 2 ½ years old.

The study was reported by CNN on November 30, 2009 and included several comments from Dr. Fred Volkmar of the Yale Child Study Center who praised the study as “well done” and “important.” Dr. Volkmar is also a member of the YAI Autism Center’s Advisory Council. While the results of the study are exciting and provide new information for many families, this information brings with it questions, feelings of uncertainty and naturally, some underlying levels of anxiety. While parents have turned to ABA for their children’s therapy, the Denver Model suggests that a blending of the principles of ABA, or a similar community intervention, with a more relationship-based approach yields more significant effects in terms of I.Q., language and social interactivity. This is the ultimate trifecta of autism symptomology for many families.

It is important to consider the implications of this news. Will families now seek out the Denver Model over traditional ABA hours? Will government-funded services prefer this approach due to its efficiency—delivering improved outcomes in fewer hours?

Dr. Charles Cartwright, Director of the YAI Autism Center, sees big potential for the ESDM to work in tandem with other therapies. “The Denver Model is a short-term intervention for very young children and involves the entire family in the therapeutic process,” he said. “It can lead into ABA or other therapies that can continue throughout a person’s life.”

We want to hear your thoughts! Comment or post questions in the form below. Learn more about The Early Start Denver Model here and studies conducted by U.C. Davis here.