Autism Reality NB Reviews Alex Plank's "Autism" Reality Video

Alex Plank a young man with an Asperger's diagnosis, apparently a very, very mild version of Aspergers, has produced a video called "Autism Reality". The video can be accessed at Static Vox.

In the video, posted on a Facebook thread started by Lisa Jo Rudy on which I participated, Mr. Plank mentions the autism spectrum a few times. And he includes interviews of some nice young people agreeing with Mr. Plank that autism is a "good" thing.

I offered the following video review on the FB discussion thread:

"Autism Reality Alex?

With respect, the autistic children like the boy who died recently in Nova Scotia, like my son who went missing, walking through dangerous traffic, the many who are never found safe might disagree. The autistic children who injure themselves with dangerous head banging, severe biting, chewing on their cheeks or starving themselves because of extreme taste and food texture aversions might disagree. The non verbal autistics living in institutional care might have a different perspective. I am glad though that you paid lip service to the concept of a spectrum of autism in your production. And I hope you, Ms Chew and Ms Rudy don't mind me mentioning some of these other autism realities.

Other than that it is a nice video, lots of good communication, good social interaction, lots of high functioning skills like driving, attending busy, crowded events, good video production skills and no behavior challenges. And of course there are no cognitive impairment issues. Good idea not to confuse the viewing public with that whole "comorbidity" thing.

Two suggestions if you ever edit the video though. One, maybe you could mention the fact that the autism spectrum refers to a spectrum of "disorders". Two, maybe you could add the dates that Einstein and Van Gogh received their autism diagnoses.

Harold Doherty

AutismRealityNB

PS. I like the "autism reality" bit"

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Misleading Autism Treatment Statements at About.com Autism

Lisa Jo Rudy at About.com Autism, for reasons unknown to me has made misleading statements about the evidence in support of the efficacy of various autism treatments. Coming on the heels of the recent Deborah Fein study showing that 10-20% of subject children with autism recovered from their autism with Intensive Early Behavioral Intervention ... ABA ... it is surprising to see About.com Autism apparently react to that study with the assertion that all autism therapies are created equal. Ms Rudy and About.com Autism appear to have turned their backs on evidence based assessments of autism treatments.

Ms Rudy stated in Can All Positive, Intensive Therapies Help Kids with Autism?:

As a result, there's no good way to know whether a child who received Floortime would have done better with RDI or ABA. Certainly, evidence shows that most children with autism improve to varying degrees with intensive therapy, no matter what its name.

Apart from the recent Fein study demonstrating full recovery as set out above other studies and reviews of those studies have unequivocally indicated that only ABA enjoys a solid evidence basis in support of its effectiveness:

The MADSEC (Maine) Autism Task Force assessed the evidence basis in support of various autism interventions as of 2000 and found that only one, ABA, met the highest standard:

"Based upon a thorough examination of numerous methodologies considered as interventions for children with autism, the MADSEC Autism Task Force has characterized the interventions reviewed as follows:

• Substantiated as effective based upon the scope and quality of research:
Applied behavior analysis.

In addition, applied behavior analysis’ evaluative procedures are effective not only with behaviorally-based interventions, but also for the systematic evaluation of the efficacy of any intervention intended to affect individual learning and behavior. ABA’s emphasis on functional assessment and positive behavioral support will help meet heightened standards of IDEA ‘97. Its emphasis on measurable goals and reliable data collection will substantiate the child’s progress in the event of due process.

In describing the evidence backed benefits of ABA the MADSEC Report noted that:

There is a wealth of validated and peer-reviewed studies supporting the efficacy of ABA methods to improve and sustain socially significant behaviors in every domain, in individuals with autism. Importantly, results reported include “meaningful” outcomes such as increased social skills, communication skills academic performance, and overall cognitive functioning. These reflect clinically-significant quality of life improvements. While studies varied as to the
magnitude of gains, all have demonstrated long term retention of gains made.

Other major contributions of ABA to the education and treatment of individuals with autism include:

• a large number of empirically-based systematic instruction methods that lead to the acquisition of skills, and to the decrease/elimination of aberrant behaviors;

• a technology for systematically evaluating the efficacy of interventions intended to affect individual learning and behavior; and

• substantial cost/benefit.

Over 30 years of rigorous research and peer review of applied behavior analysis’ effectiveness for individuals with autism demonstrate ABA has been objectively substantiated as effective based upon the scope and quality of science. Professionals considering applied behavior analysis should portray the method as objectively substantiated as effective. Methods of applied behavior analysis should be considered to evaluate the effectiveness of any intervention used to help individuals with autism. Researchers should continue to vigorously investigate behavioral intervention as the most promising area of research and treatment benefiting individuals with autism known today. Early interventionists should leverage early autism diagnosis with

The American Academy of Pediatrics Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (2007) report described the level of evidence of ABA effectiveness in a manner that no other treatment mentioned in the report even remotely approximated:

Applied Behavior Analysis

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the process of applying interventions that are based on the principles of learning derived from experimental psychology research to systematically change behavior and to demonstrate that the interventions used are responsible for the observable improvement in behavior. ABA methods are used to increase and maintain desirable adaptive behaviors, reduce interfering maladaptive behaviors or narrow the conditions under which they occur, teach new skills, and generalize behaviors to new environments or situations. ABA focuses on the reliable measurement and objective evaluation of observable behavior within relevant settings including the home, school, and community.

The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university and community settings.29–40 Children who receive early intensive behavioral treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of children in control groups.31–40

To these reviews of studies supporting ABA effectiveness in treating autism can be added the US Surgeon General and the NY State Department of Health. Now the Fein study on autism recovery would add to the information basis of such reports.

We are decades past the point where About.com Autism can claim that all autism interventions are created equal as long as they are positive and done early and intensively. There is no evidence to support the About.com position. The About.com Autism position is in essence a rejection of an evidence based approach to assessing autism interventions.

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2007 Autism Blog of the Year - About.com Autism

My personal pick as Autism Blog of the Year 2007 [excluding Facing Autism in New Brunswick ] is the About.com Autism Blog hosted by Lisa Jo Rudy. Ms Rudy's views often reflect the "neurodiversity" perspective; an autism perspective which I do not share. The neurodiversity emphasis can be quickly seen in the links on the related sites portion of the blog where links are provided to the neurodiversity network of alleged "autism" bloggers. Yet, Ms Rudy has clearly been trying to present all views on controversial autism subjects including the recent battle by the neurodiversity community which successfully bullied the NYU Ransom Notes campaign into submission. The parents whose concerns inspired the Ransom Notes campaign lost a voice with that defeat but the blame for that does not lie with Ms Rudy who tried to present all sides of the issue.

Another example of Ms Rudy's attempt to present all autism perspectives is the recently posted series on autism treatments. Most of the treatments presented are not evidence based as effective autism treatments. For that reason I would not endorse them personally but I think it is worthwhile to review and discuss these matters publicly.

For trying to fairly present all sides of the many controversial autism debates my personal choice for Autism Blog of 2007 is About.com Autism. Sorry, I don't have a fancy Web 2.0 badge to offer Ms Rudy for this "award" but I do offer my appreciation.

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