The Manhattan Childrens Center Admissions

Dr. Rosa C. Martinez presented the student outcomes of our Brooklyn CCEI School Program at the ASA convention. The conference was very well attended with more than 2,000 participants! We are very proud of our ABA model which provides discrete trial training along with natural environment teaching and resulted in approximately 95% of our Early Intervention students progressing to less restrictive learning environments.

To access the paper:Starting off on the Right Foot:One Year of Behavior Analysys in Practice(Greenberg & Martinez,2008) Resources Page

The key note speech was delivered by Dr. Temple Grandin. She presently works as an Associate Professor at Colorado State University but also speaks around the world on both autism and cattle handling. Dr. Grandin provided her personal perspective of living with autism. Her speech focused on learning language, visual thinking, sensory problems and “training the talent” by focusing on an individuals interests and strengths. Dr. Grandin referred to her own mind as a “virtual reality” computer. She has the ability to design and test-run all of her equipment in her mind. She forwards, rewinds, etc., just like a VCR. This is how her brain works…she is a “visual processor” who “thinks in pictures”.

A great deal of her presentation focused on the “perspective of treatment” for autism spectrum disorders. Her advice was simple yet priceless… ”If the treatment is not risky, is not expensive and is simple”; then “Try it! What do you have to lose?” (i.e., gluten casein free diets, weighted vests and colored glasses). With regard to each of these as treatments to help with some of the characteristics associated with autism Dr. Grandin stated that it is very important to understand that what may be effective for one individual may NOT have any effect on another! She specified the following with regard to “perspectives” of treatment:

diet has helped her personally
Irwin lenses (are colored glasses) Why not go to Wal-Mart and get a pair of pale shaded lens colored sunglasses for $6.95 and if they appear to make a difference then seek out the more expensive alternative
weighted vest: requires a specific protocol (i.e.,- 20 minutes off/20 minutes on) with data for measuring effects
chelation therapy: no supporting evidence provided

Dr. Grandin presented a series of slides to contrast the brain of an individual with autism with the brain of a “typically” developing individual. Below is a pictorial representation of the image she has created in her minds’ photo library to portray a visual of an “autistic” brain.

Dr. Grandin stressed the importance of teaching to a child’s strengths. She talked about the autistic individual as a “visual” thinker; an “auditory” thinker or a “tactile thinker”. A visual thinker will create folders in his/her mind to be able to categorize all kinds of abstract information into concrete images. For example this image simply represents the general concept of “Dog”. For a “large” dog or a “small” dog many images are necessary in order for the visual thinker to have an array of images to “create” a cataloging system.

Dr. Grandin advocates for the study of efficacy and treatment studies based on the specific sensory processing problems and not the general “autism spectrum” label.

Another key highlight of the ASA conference was the Awards ceremony. Miss Amanda LaMunyon (13 year old artist who was amongst our MCC WAAD exhibition artists on the spectrum) received the Outstanding Individual with Autism of the Year Award and received $1,000 cash.

In general conference topics ranged from early intervention, education, employment, behavior, communication, social skills, and biomedical interventions to mercury toxicity as related to the entire lifespan. Presentations by family members were equally informative ranging from special presentations for “Father’s only” to presentations specifically regarding “Girls” on the spectrum.

At the annual ASA Membership meeting the need for advocacy and quality programs for adults on the autism spectrum was acknowledged by President Lee Grossman. These topics have been moved to the forefront of current and future issues to be addressed by ASA.

For a brief bio of Dr. Temple Grandin: RCMAutismNotebook

Dr. Grandins' website: www.grandin.com

For links to other books and articles by Dr.Grandin www.templegrandin.com

Article written by Dr. Martinez July 17, 2008 www.RCMAutismNotebook.com