Autism - Stephanie Brown

Autism
By Stephanie Brown

Have you heard of the diagnoses Autism? I am going to go into some detail of what Autism is and some of the diagnoses that are involved with the disorder. There are many organizations that have gathered together to reach out to those families with a child that has autism and individuals that are affected by this disorder. One of the most known organizations is Autism Speaks. This organization helps collect funds for research of Autism, one of the biggest events is the Autism walk, that is done every year. This is just one of the many organizations that are looking for research and funding the projects.
What is Autism?
Autism is a spectrum disorder that is an umbrella of different disorders that are made up of multiple types of characteristics comprised into Autism. Here is a more defined definition of Autism from a huge organization for Autism, Autism Speaks: “Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. It is part of a group of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Today, 1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe.” ( Autism Speaks) Autism was first identified by Dr. Leo Kanner and a few months later Dr. Hans Asperger founded the disorder Aspergers Syndrome. Aspergers Syndrome can be found from mild to severe. This best example of a severe asperger diagnoses would be in the movie, Rain Man. Some of the characteristics of Asperger’s is that they like to be alone, not around a lot of people, they do not have a lot of friends, and they stick to one area of expertise.
Is Autism Treatable?
If I were guessing I would probably say no, but according to American Autism Society (ASA) they say different. “Autism is treatable. Children do not "outgrow" autism, but studies show that early diagnosis and intervention lead to significantly improved outcomes.” Some of the early intervention signs the society mentions are: “Lack of or delay in spoken language, Repetitive use of language and/or motor mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling objects), Little or no eye contact , Lack of interest in peer relationships , Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play , Persistent fixation on parts of objects.”
Autism Diagnosis:
Doctor’s have been known to use questionnaires to help diagnose an individual. Some use this as a screening tool, most doctor’s use parent observations as a screening tool as well. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), “Children with some symptoms of autism, but not enough to be diagnosed with classical autism, are often diagnosed with PDD-NOS. Children with autistic behaviors but well-developed language skills are often diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Children who develop normally and then suddenly deteriorate between the ages of 3 to 10 years and show marked autistic behaviors may be diagnosed with childhood disintegrative disorder. Girls with autistic symptoms may be suffering from Rett syndrome, a sex-linked genetic disorder characterized by social withdrawal, regressed language skills, and hand wringing.” This is what they say most doctor’s will diagnose on. There are many ways to diagnose Autism, it can be diagnosed by screenings by observations, evaluations, questionnaires, but in the end the doctor’s look at the behaviors of the individual. The behaviors that were listed in the intervention section of this paper are some of the behaviors that they look at and take into consideration when making a diagnosis.
Have you ever wondered what causes Autism?
There really isn’t a said cause of Autism. Some scientists say that it could be genetics and environmental factors that could be a large part of Autism. While I was researching this topic and looking to see what the different organizations thought about the causes I came across the National Autism Association (NAA). The NAA states that “A growing number of scientists and researchers believe that a relationship between the increase in neurodevelopmental disorders of autism, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, and speech or language delay, and the increased use of Thimerosal in vaccines is plausible and deserves more scrutiny. In 2001, the Institute of Medicine determined that such a relationship is biologically plausible, but that not enough evidence exists to support or reject this hypothesis. Recent studies have confirmed the association between the use of Thimerosal and autism has moved from "biologically plausible" to a "biological certainty" (Boyd Haley). Recent work by Dr. Mark Geier and David Geier in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons and Experimental Biology and Medicine have shown strong epidemiological evidence for a causal relationship between thimerosal and neurodevelopmental disorders in children.” In summary the NAA, has research that has not been proven yet that mercury may play a major role in the causes of Autism. So there are many different opinions and thoughts that contribute to the causes of Autism.
In Conclusion, I have included some facts from another organization for Autism intervention and research. I have learned a lot about autism as I have lived with a parent that has a mild form of Autism, his diagnoses is Asperger’s Syndrome. I have always been interested in helping individuals with special needs and Autism is one of the most in need of help. Here are a couple of facts that are facing individuals with Autism from the organization, Faces for Kids:
• “Every 21 minutes another child is diagnosed with autism. It has become an epidemic in our nation. As many as one million American's are currently living with some form of autism. The majority of these individuals diagnosed with autism will require lifelong supervision and care.” (FACESforKids.org)
• Once a person with autism reaches adulthood, the cost to provide the necessary educational and social services, as well as supervised living arrangements, is more than $100,000 per year. (Faces)

References:
What is Autism? (2008). Retrieved July 2, 2008, from Autism Speaks Web site: www.autismspeaks.org
Autism Society of America. (2008). About Autism [Journal]. Bethesda, Maryland
About Autism. (2006). Retrieved July 2, 2008, from FACES Web site: www.facesforkids.org
The facts. (2008). Retrieved July 2, 2008, from National Autism Association Web site: http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/thimerosal.php

(2007). What is Autism?. Retrieved July 2, 2008, from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Web site: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/autism.htm

Mood Disorders in Middle School - Stepahanie Ballard

Mood Disorders in Middle School
By Stephanie Ballard

Middle School
Middle schools contain teenagers going through a unique life transition. Cliques of students who share strong similarities begin to form. These groups help to form identities and bonds between students and make this transition time more bearable. However, middle school can also be an uncomfortable time of rejection, harsh realizations and life changes. Though this happens throughout life, the emotional time of the teenage years makes it more intense. Teenagers see everything as intense and personal and if a student has a mood disorder, you can count on the feelings being even more intense and more personal.
Mood Disorders
Mood disorders have many factors. Some can be a chemical imbalance in the brain. Major changes in one’s life can cause a mood disorder. Mood disorders are also paired with anxiety disorders. In teenagers, mood disorders are a little harder to diagnose because teenage hormones cause mood changes in a young person. One has to be very careful and very discerning when diagnosing a teenager with a mood disorder.
Depression
There is not one type of depression or one certain way to handle the depression. Major Depressive Disorder, Dysthymic Disorder, and Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood are just a few that stem from many causes and have many ways to be dealt with. Most depression cases have to be dealt with on a person-to-person basis.
Depression can be onset by a chemical imbalance in the brain, or maybe rejection from peers, or possible a family death or divorce. It could be caused by low self-confidence that could have any number of its own stems.
Suicide
Though suicide and depression are related, depression is not the only factor that leads to suicide. There is often more than one problem, issue, or situation that can be a deciding factor for one to commit suicide. Suicide is most common among people ages 15-24. Adolescent years are filled with questions, searching, and self-discovery. Some are tormented with fears of inadequacy, some experience major life changes (death, divorce, moving), and some just want to know who they are. The adolescent environment can be a cruel environment that adds to insecurities, creates depression, and then there can be a triggering event to push a teen to a place where they do not see their world getting better. The teenage reasoning that can hinder them from seeing the big picture, suicide looks like the easy way out of their horrible problems.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder has two stages: manic and depression. Manic is experienced by very good moods; some almost like a person is untouchable and very idyllic. The manic state can last up to ten months. Depression is experienced by sadness and loss of interest in what is happening in life. The depression state can last up to three months. With a rollercoaster of emotions as a normal teenager, imagine what it is like a teenager with a Bipolar disorder. Though not much is known about this disorder in teenagers, it does exist.
A controlled environment is good for adolescents who have Bipolar disorder. Some people with Bipolar disorder do seek medication to help, but often it is something like lithium that leaves them feeling disoriented and out of control.
The Role of the Teacher
As a middle school teacher, it is one’s job to create an environment for all students, even those who suffer from mood disorders. The best environment is a consistent schedule and relaxed classroom. The instruction must have a good relationship with the students so that on bad days, the student will be comfortable enough to talk to the teacher and work through problems. The teacher should try to be aware of major events that occur in a child’s life, like a death or divorce, to look for signs of depression. Another ally in this situation is the school counselor who has more knowledge and tips about helping the child. Never isolate or ignore the depressed teenager because this could increase the feelings of sadness and loneliness. The best teacher for an adolescent to have is a positive teacher. A teacher must serve as an encourager through good and bad times to give hope and love to students.

Reference:
Wicks-Nelson, R. & Israel A. C. (2003) Behavior Disorders of Childhood. New Jersey:
Pearson Prentice Hall. Chapter 7: Mood Disorders.

Attention Disorders - Allison Babcock

Attention Disorders
By Allison Babcock

Attention Disorders such as Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder are considered chronic and affects millions of American children and often continue into adulthood. In studying various attention disorders research has shown that AD/HD has a very strong neurobiological origin, however there have not been any specific causes found. Nevertheless, it is thought that genetics seem to play the largest role in the causes of this particular disorder. When biological influences aren’t involved, research has found that difficulties during pregnancy, prenatal exposure to alcohol and tobacco, premature delivery, significantly low birth weight, excessively high body lead levels, and postnatal injury to the prefrontal area of the brain may increase the chances of a child having an attention disorder.
There are various symptoms that are visible in individuals who suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder such as making careless mistakes in schoolwork, difficulty sustaining attention to tasks, not listening to what is being said, difficulty organizing tasks and activities, losing and misplacing belongings, fidgeting and squirming in seat, talking excessively, interrupting or intruding on others, and difficulty playing quietly. These are just a range of symptoms that can be found in individuals with attention disorders, symptoms will often vary depending on the person.
Although many think that there is a specific test available for those who may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder, there is no single test that can diagnosis an individual. However, there are various guidelines to consider when diagnosing a person with this particular disorder such as (1) does the child show a sufficient number of ADHD/ADD symptoms to possibly warrant the diagnosis?; (2) have these symptoms persisted for at least 6 months and are they present at a level that is developmentally inappropriate?; (3) for a child older than 7, was there impairment from symptoms prior to this age? (4) do the symptoms cause impairment in more than one setting (e.g. home and school)?; (5) do the symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in academic, social, or occupational functioning?; and (6) are the symptoms better accounted for by another psychiatric condition? As I mentioned before there are various tests/guidelines that need to be considered when testing an individual for an attention disorder; an individual also needs to go through a physical examination and several interviews to rule out any other possible diagnosis.
Some treatments to be considered are pharmacotherapy, parent training, behavioral programs, cognitive-behavioral training, social skills training, academic remediation, and individual counseling. However the most effectively used in cases with ADHD individuals are pharmacological and behaviorally oriented parent training and school-based approaches. When using the pharmacological approach, stimulant medications such as Methylphenidate, Dextroamphetamine, and a combination of both, are highly recommended. Medications that are considered alternatives if the first choice medications don’t work are Antidepressants, Antihypertensive, and Clonidine. Anticonvulsants and Antipsychotic medications are considered only when the medications listed above aren’t successful.
The other method of treatment that is very important in a child’s treatment is that the parents and teachers come up with a behavior modification plan to help improve the child’s behavior. With this particular treatment, there is a helpful tool that many educators use when helping parents modify a child’s behavior, it’s called the ABC’s: Antecedents (something that set offs or triggers the behaviors), Behaviors (something the child does that parents and teachers want to change), and Consequences (the result after behaviors). The parents and teachers need to know what antecedent triggers the behavior so they can stop the behavior before it occurs. It is also important to set up goals for the child to achieve over time and to take small steps especially with children because behavior modification can take time. Parents and teachers also need to keep in mind that consistency and patience is crucial when working with a child with an attention disorder.
References:
Causes: http://www.chadd.org/Content/CHADD/Understanding/Causes/default.htm
Symptoms: http://www.add-adhd.org/attention_deficits_ADHD.html
Treatment: (1) Behavior Disorders of Children: Chapter 9, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, pg 261. (2) http://www.help4adhd.org/en/treatment/behavioral/WWK7
Evaluation: http://www.helpforadd.com/evaluation-guidelines/

Positive Classroom Strategies

Students who engage in oppositional, confrontational or non-compliant behaviors do so because they frequently have poor academic skills poor self-concepts as learners, and usually do not like school (Sprick, et al., 2002). Often these students will be caught in a negative cycle of academic underachievement and misbehavior. Educators will often overlook simple academic strategies that have been shown to shape student behavior in powerful and positive ways (Penno et al., 2000). Below, you will find several research-based strategies that have proven to be effective.

• Be aware of the instructional level of the work. Make sure the work is not too difficult or too easy. 95% of all behavior problems are due to a mismatch in student’s level of learning and the instructional level of the material presented. Many behavior problems occur simply because students find the assigned work too difficult or too easy (Gettinger & Seibert, 2002). Too simple, the student may become bored and distracted. Too hard, the student is likely to feel frustrated and upset because he or she cannot complete the assignment. A mismatch between the assignment and the student’s abilities can trigger misbehavior. Teachers should be aware of each student’s academic skills and adjust assignments as needed to ensure that the student is appropriately challenged but not overwhelmed by the work.

• Engaged students do not have time to act out. This is a very powerful concept. Students that are actively engaged in academics do not misbehave According to Heward (2003) when teachers require that students participate in lessons rather than sit as passive listeners, they increase the odds that these students will become caught up in the flow of the activity and not drift off into misbehavior. You can encourage students to be active learners in many ways. A teacher, for example, may call out questions and have the class give the answer in unison (‘choral responding’); pose a question, give the class ‘think time’, and then draw a name from a hat to select a student to give the answer; or direct students working independently on a practice problem to ‘think aloud’ as they work through the steps of the problem. Heward (1994) stated that students who have many opportunities to actively respond and receive teacher feedback demonstrate substantial learning gains.

• The illusion of choice. According to Kern et. al. (2002) teachers who allow students choice in structuring their learning activities typically have fewer behavior problems in their classrooms. Providing choices gives students a sense of autonomy and voice in their learning. It should also be remembered that no teacher could possibly anticipate each student’s particular learning needs in every situation. If students are offered choice in structuring their academic activities, however, they will frequently select those options that make their learning easier and more manageable. In sum, students who exercise academic choice are more likely to be active, motivated managers of their own learning and less likely to simply act out due to frustration or boredom. A major issue with this technique is that the choices that you make available to your students need to be maintained in the parameters of your class. Here are some examples of choice: a teacher may let the entire class vote on which of two lessons they would prefer to have presented that day. In independent seatwork, a student might be allowed to choose which of several short assignments to do first, the books or other research materials to be used, the response format (e.g., writing a short essay, preparing an oral report), etc. One efficient way to promote choice in the classroom is for the teacher to create a master menu of options that students can select from in various learning situations. An instructor, for example, may teach the class that during any independent assignment, students will always have a chance to (1) choose from at least 2 assignment options, (2) sit where they want in the classroom, and (3) select a peer-buddy to check their work. Student choice then becomes integrated seamlessly into the classroom routine.

• Positive Reinforcement Does Work. Praise and other positive interactions between teacher and student is very powerful. According to Mayer (2000) praise serves an important instructional function by reminding the student of the classroom behavioral and academic expectations and give the student clear evidence that he or she is capable of achieving those expectations. Most classrooms, teachers tend to deliver many more reprimands than praise. Dr. James Dobson discusses the “Emotional Bank Account”. You need to ensure that you have a positive balance before you are going to make a withdrawal. A high rate of reprimands and low rate of praise, however, can have several negative effects. First, if teachers do not regularly praise and encourage students who act appropriately, those positive student behaviors may whither away through lack of recognition. Second, students will probably find a steady diet of reprimands to be punishing and might eventually respond by withdrawing from participation or even avoiding the class altogether. A goal for teachers should be to engage in at least 3 to 4 positive interactions with the student for each reprimand given (Sprick, et al., 2002). Positive interactions might include focused, specific praise, non-verbal exchanges (e.g., smile or ‘thumbs-up’ from across the room), or even an encouraging note written on the student’s homework assignment. These positive interactions are brief and can often be delivered in the midst of instruction.

• Be consistent. Students with challenging behaviors are more likely than their peers to become confused by inconsistent classroom routines. Teachers can hold down the level of problem behaviors by teaching clear expectations for academic behaviors and then consistently following through in enforcing those expectations (Sprick et al., 2002). Classrooms run more smoothly when students are first taught routines for common learning activities--such as participating in class discussion, turning in homework, breaking into cooperative learning groups, and handing out work materials—and then the teacher consistently enforces those same routines by praising students who follow them, reviewing those routines periodically, and reteaching them as needed.

• Provide consequences (positive or negative) immediately. It is important for teachers who work with a challenging students to target their behavioral and academic intervention strategies to coincide as closely as possible with that student’s ‘point of performance’ (the time that the student engages in the behavior that the teacher is attempting to influence) (DuPaul & Stoner, 2002). So a teacher is likely to be more successful in getting a student to take his crayons to afternoon art class if that teacher reminds the student just as the class is lining up for art than if she were to remind him at the start of the day. A student reward will have a greater impact if it is given near the time in which it was earned than if it is awarded after a two-week delay. Teacher interventions tend to gain in effectiveness as they are linked more closely in time to the students’ points of performance that they are meant to influence.

Some of the material adapted from http://www.interventioncentral.org.

References

Gettinger, M., & Seibert, J.K. (2002). Best practices in increasing academic learning time. In A. Thomas (Ed.), Best practices in school psychology IV: Volume I (4th ed., pp. 773-787). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

Heward, W.L. (1994). Three ‘low-tech’ strategies for increasing the frequency of active student response during group instruction. In R.Gardner III, D.M.Sainato, J.O.Cooper, T.E.Heron, W.L.Heward, J.Eshleman, & T.A.Grossi (Eds.), Behavior analysis in education: Focus on measurably superior instruction (pp. 283-320). Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Heward, W.L. (2003). Ten faulty notions about teaching and learning that hinder the effectiveness of special education. Journal of Special Education, 36, 186-205.

Kern, L., Bambara, L., & Fogt, J. (2002). Class-wide curricular modifications to improve the behavior of students with emotional or behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 27, 317-326.

Mayer, G.R. (2000). Classroom management: A California resource guide. Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles County Office of Education and California Department of Education.

Miller, K.A., Gunter, P.L., Venn, M.J., Hummel, J., & Wiley, L.P. (2003). Effects of curricular and materials modifications on academic performance and task engagement of three students with emotional or behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorder, 28, 130-149.

Penno, D.A., Frank, A.R., & Wacker, D.P. (2000). Instructional accommodations for adolescent students with severe emotional or behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 25, 325-343.

Sprick, R.S., Borgmeier, C., & Nolet, V. (2002). Prevention and management of behavior problems in secondary schools. In M. Shinn, H.M. Walker, & G. Stoner (Eds.) Interventions for academic and behavioral problems II: Preventive and remedial approaches (pp. 373-401). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

Welcome to the "Positive Behavior Supports for Teachers" Blog.

I want to welcome you to this new Blog that is designed to support and encourage the use of Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) for children with emotional and behavioral problems.

Disclaimer:
As we begin this journey together, I encourage you to provide comments, seek advice, or ask questions regarding the use of PBS in your school and classroom. One caveat, we want to provide an environment that is safe to explore new ideas while maintaining the confidentiality of the individuals, districts and campuses involved. We will support the Family Education Rights Protection Act (FERPA) on this Blog.

• What is Positive Behavioral Support?
  


• Positive Behavior Support is a broad range of culturally appropriate practices of systemic schoolwide, classroom, & individualized strategies for achieving important social & learning outcomes while preventing challenging behavior of all students. PBS involves a systems-level approach for data driven decision-making and team-based problem-solving. The focus is on prevention and early intervention to successfully stop academic and behavior problems before they begin. PBS emphasizes effective teaching practices and on-going and meaningful staff development.
  


• This graphic provides a visual of the three-tiered intervention model.

• Let’s look at each level in more detail.


• Universal: Universal interventions happen for everyone on the campus. This level of intervention effectively prevents most school-based behavior problems. In fact, when used well, universal interventions work for about 75%-80% of students. School teams develop universal management interventions designed to meet the needs of all students and to develop a common language/focus for all staff, students, parents and the school community.
• Examples:
  aBehavioral expectations are taught
  aPositive, proactive discipline policies and procedures
  aActive supervision and monitoring
  aPositive reinforcement systems
  aFirm, fair, and corrective discipline

• Selected: Some students may need something more than is available through universal interventions (about 15%-25% of students). For this group, selected interventions are developed to provide targeted or specialized group-based strategies for students who are considered “at risk” (e.g., low academic achievement, behavior, poor peer interactions, etc.). These interventions are applied more frequently in a smaller group format. Data are used to identify students who need selected interventions, and to monitor the effect of those interventions on these students’ target behaviors.
• Examples:
  aIntensive social skills teaching, self-control, anger management, direct teaching
  aSelf-management programs
  aAdult mentors
  aIncreased academic support

• Targeted: An even smaller group of students (5%-10%) will need more individualized, wrap-around services. These are highly specialized strategies for students who engage in chronic challenging behavior that is not responsive to universal or selected interventions.
• Examples:
  aIndividual behavior support plans
  aParent training and collaboration
  aMulti-agency collaboration (wrap-around services)For maximum benefit to students,schools would have interventions at all three levels, otherwise, educators spend their time “putting out fires” rather than proactively approaching behavior improvement for all students.

(Information for this initial post was adapted from the Texas Behavior Support Initiative)

In the future, the Posts on this Blog will focus on a variety of techniques and intervention strategies that are founded in scientifically based research. I encourage you to become an active participant in this journey.