Positive Results for Autism Program

A program designed to enhance social and communication skills for young children with autistic spectrum disorder is benefitting these children and their families.

An independent program evaluation by Dr. Isabel Smith, a researcher from Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre, indicate that after one year of Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention, all 27 children had significantly improved communication skills. According to tests and parental feedback from the first phase of the program, they also had improved problem-solving skills and reduced behavioural problems.

"As a parent of two children with autism, I would definitely recommend the program as a first step towards continued success," said Tracey Avery. "This program has started my boys in a direction that has shaped the way that they learn in a school setting. I will never forget how Kyle began to speak after five long years of silence and how Brandon's challenging behaviour improved with continued support.

"We always want what is best for our children. With continued research and treatment options, these children can successfully strive to reach their full potentials."

Success stories such as these are encouraging, said Health Minister Chris d'Entremont.

"I'm very pleased to see this program is truly making a difference in the lives of children and families dealing with autism," said Mr. d'Entremont.

Overall, the children were about a year and a half behind in development when they began the Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention program. On average, children gained more than a year's worth of language skills in the first 12 months of treatment. Many children more than doubled their learning rates while in the program.

Parents surveyed also indicated that their children were more aware of what was going on around them, played more appropriately with toys and showed more interest in other people.

"You wouldn't believe the difference. It is unbelievable," said Mr. Macleod about his son. "Seeing a video tape of him at day care when he first started, and seeing him today, it blew my wife and I out of the water."

The Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention program is delivered by a multi-disciplinary treatment team that provides individualized programming and intervention for each child. The treatment team consists of a core group including autism support workers/program implementers, speech language pathologists. It also has one or more of the following: a psychologist; occupational therapist; or social worker.

The program is offered through district health authorities and the IWK Health Centre, in collaboration with Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Centres.

The program helps develop communication, play and other skills. It helps children learn how to relate to, and to function more effectively in, family and community life. The program can be provided in a variety of settings, including in the home, at day-care centres, preschools and within other community environments. It enhances other services available for children with autism and their families across the province.

The program, which costs $4 million a year, has been in place since July 2005. A summary of the evaluation results is available at http://www.gov.ns.ca/health/mhs/pubs/EIBI_Evaluation_Summary.pdf .