Linkages is a newsletter geared towards professionals caring for children with special needs in Washington State to
share information, updates and resources.
Disclaimer: The inclusion of any resource or website in Linkages does not imply endorsement.
| Volume 13, No.3 |
Fall 2007 |
In This Month's Newsletter: Focus Topic - Autism
Resources for Autism Screening and Diagnosis
M-CHAT Checklist for Autism in Toddlers
The M-CHAT Word document is a screening tool for early detection of autism that can
be used during a child's 18-month developmental check-up. Parents answer a 22 item questionnaire on their child's development, activities and
behavior.
Developmental Screening and Surveillance Tools
Identifying Infants and Young Children with Developmental Disorders in the
Medical Home: An Algorithm for Developmental Surveillance and Screening, an article from the AAP, provides a decision tree to support pediatric
health care professionals in addressing developmental concerns in children from birth to 3 years of age.
Screening Guidelines
First Signs offers the screening guide below for professionals to use with children less than 36 months. First Signs, Inc. is a national non-profit
organization dedicated to educating parents and pediatric professionals about the early warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders.
The screening guideline and other resources for parents and professionals are available from the First Signs
website. The AAP and CDC offer a two page PDF version.
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Autism Handouts and Resources for Families
Living with Autism
The Autism Society of America has
developed in-depth handouts on a variety of topics related to living with autism. They include:
- Stress on families
- Home Family
- Sibling Issues
-
- Religion and Autism
- Life After High School
- Planning for the Future
Fact Sheets on Autism Spectrum Disorders
The Learn the Signs - Act Early campaign from the CDC was designed to increase awareness of child development by educating
parents and health care professionals on the importance of tracking a child's development, including early warning signs of
autism and other developmental disabilities. Fact
sheets for the following and others are available in English and Spanish:
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Developmental Screening - explains child development, screening, delay, what a developmental assessment is and how to
get one
- Important Milestones - 3 months, 7 months, and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years of age
Red Flags for Atypical Development
Key indicators can show that a child is at risk for atypical development, and in need of an immediate evaluation. For
parents, these are the red flags that their child should be screened to ensure he or she is on the right developmental
path. Red Flags is available for download from the First Signs
web site. Red Flags was compiled from: Greenspan, S.I. (1999) Building Healthy Minds, Perseus Books; Filipek,
P.A. et al. Practice Parameter: Screening and Diagnosis of Autism. Neurology 2000, 55: 468-79.
Autism Resource Guide for Washington State
Families for Effective Autism Treatment of Washington offers the 2007 Autism
Resource Guide PDF, a road map to available resources in the Puget Sound. It includes information on therapies,
services, dentists, and hairstylists who are good with kids with autism. The guide is updated every two years.
Safety Toolkit
Autism can present a unique set of safety concerns for parents. The National Autism Association provides
Keeping Our Children Safe, a toolkit with safety
tips on wandering, emergency preparation, prevention, emergency contacts, securing the home and tips from other parents.
Sharing Concerns with Parents
Sharing concerns about a child's developmental delay can be very difficult. This
fact sheet provides tips for physicians on sharing
concerns in a sensitive and honest way. It also includes information for planning and follow-through.
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Autism Reports and Studies
New CDC Autism Spectrum Disorders Data
The CDC has released a fact sheet with new prevalence
data on autism spectrum disorders in the U.S. Results show that prevalence is higher in the communities studied than
previously thought. Another key finding showed that the majority of children with ASD in the areas studied had
developmental concerns before age three.
Half of Children with Autism Can Be Diagnosed at One Year of Age
Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute found that autism can be diagnosed at close to one year of age, which is the
earliest the disorder has ever been diagnosed. The study
evaluated social and communication development in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) from 14 to 36 months of age. Researchers
identified the following signs that parents and physicians should look for:
- Abnormalities in initiating communication with others
- Compromised ability to initiate and respond to opportunities to share experiences with others
- Irregularities when playing with toys
- Significantly reduced variety of sounds, word and gestures used to communicate
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Autism Education/Task Force
Educating Students with ASD
An online
continuing education session at Seattle Children's Hospital, presented by Irene S. Schwartz, PhD, September, 2005.
Content includes: structure of an effetcive program, how to know if programs work, questions teachers should answer and
more.
Autism Task Force Update
The Caring for Washington Individuals with Autism Task Force was created during the 2005 Legislative Session to study and
make recommendations to the legislature regarding the growing incidence of autism and ways to improve the delivery and
coordination of autism services in the state. The task force is currently developing an implementation plan for
recommendations developed in 2006.
In early fall, the task force will review and continue to refine criteria for regional autism centers or networks throughout
Washington state based on community needs in each area. The task force will address the role of autism centers or networks
within the larger context of developmental disabilities. Starting in January, the task force will create a draft of the
"Washington Service Guidelines for Individuals with Autism - Birth through Lifespan" book described in the 2006
recommendations.
Families, providers, and all interested persons are encouraged to attend the Autism Task Force meetings and/or provide
written input to the task force. The next meetings are: Monday, September 10, 2007 & Monday September 24, 2007. Both
take place in the John L. O'Brien Building, Capital Campus Hearing Room B, Olympia.
Email the Autism Task Force with your input or questions or
visit their website for links to the full 2006 report and
recommendations.
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Washington Autism and ASD Websites
The University of Washington Autism Center
Provides clinical services, professional training,
research, advocacy, and resources for families and professionals.
Autism Society of Washington
Education materials, comprehensive statewide resources, information on parent support groups and coalitions, and the Family
Educator Partnership Project (FEPP). The FEPP helps families with a child with special needs and the school districts that
serve them with resources, information, and support.
Families for Effective Autism Treatment of Washington
Provides services, resources, and intervention and educational programs for children with ASD.
Northwest Autism Center (Spokane, WA)
Provides information and support to families and health care professionals in Inland Northwest. Offers a regional provider
directory, tools for clinicians, an Autism Lending Library and more.
Autism Recovery Resources of Washington (ARROW)
Provides resources and information for families in Washington with a focus on the use of biomedical interventions for
autism treatment.
Asperger's Northwest
Support and information website for families of children with Aspergers and ASD in the Seattle area. The Asperger
Support Newsletter provides information on local resources including finding doctors, psychologists, lawyers, dentists,
biomedical interventions, sensory integration issues, vision therapy, special educaiton and assistance.
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National Autism and ASD Websites
Manitas Por Autismo
A web site created by families for families, provides information in Spanish about Autism Spectrum.
Interactive Autism Site
The Kennedy Krieger Institute recently launched the Interactive Autism Network (IAN) which promotes autism research by
linking researchers and families. Anyone impacted by an Autism Spectrum disorder can join IAN's online community to stay
informed about autism research, provide feedback, and share information.
Autism Society of America
Provides Autism Source, a free online referral database that is searchable by location or service type. It provides
resource listings throughout the U.S. including service providers, ASA Chapters, support groups, medical professionals,
educational facilities, legal services, research centers, government agencies, and more.
Autism Speaks, Autism Advocacy
NIH Autism Research Network
National Autism Association
Includes information on their national program to combat divorce rates in the autism community, and on Helping Hand,
their program of financial aid for autism families.
Autism Research Institute and Defeat Autism Now (DAN)
ARI conducts research on the potential triggers of autism. DAN provides protocols and conferences on biomedical
interventions.
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Journal Articles Related to Autism
Elevated Levels of Growth-Related Hormones in Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder
Clinical Endocrinology, 2007 Aug; 67(2):230-7.
Language Disorders: autism and Other Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Pediatric Clinics of North America, 2007 Jun; 54(3):469-81, vi.
Social and Communication Development in Toddlers with Early and Later Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Arch of General Psychiatry 2007 Jul; 64(7):853-64.
Autism Possible in At-Risk 1-Year Olds That Don't Respond to Their Names
A prospective study of response to name in infants at risk for autism. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007 Apr; 161(4):378-83.
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Children with Special Health Care Needs General Resources
Food Allergy Information for Schools
The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, FAAN now has a limited number of free food-allergy
information programs for elementary, intermediate, and high schools nationwide. These programs are available for schools in all states.
2007 Kids Count Data Book
Data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2007 Kids Count Data Book are now available and
can be searched in an online database that allows users to generate custom graphs, maps, ranked lists, and state-by-state profiles.
Adolescent Transition Project Bookmarks
The AHTP has English and Spanish language bookmarks that highlight their website and information
resources.
Act Early Fact Sheets - English and Spanish
The following fact sheets are available in English or Spanish from the CDC's "Learn the Signs, Act Early" campaign:
- ADHD
- Cerebral Palsy
- Intellectual Disability
- Vision Loss
- Hearing Loss
- Resource List for Disabilities
Understanding and Talking About HIV: A Motivational Approach for Health Care Providers of Teens and Their Parents
This guideline of care uses motivational principles as the basis for the clinician's interactions with the teen and parent. The focus is on parent and
teen understanding of HIV and issues surrounding disclosure of status. This was designed to be used as a clinic-based standard of care. It was
developed in consultation with the HIV Team at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Seattle, WA and families who obtain services from the
team. A PDF is available from the Center for Children with Special Needs
web site
To learn more, contact Patty Centioli by email or phone at (206) 987-5735.
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Produced by the Center for Children with Special Needs, a program of Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center,
with support from the Washington State Department of Health, Children with Special Health Care Needs Program.
