Discussion Board Due 6.28.2020 @ 10PM EST

Original Discussion Board

Mitch was six years old when his family contacted me. He had been diagnosed as having autism

spectrum disorder two years earlier by a multi-discipline clinic at a university medical school.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental neurological disorder characterized by

atypical development in social interactions and in communication. Mitch, a six year old, has

trouble making eye contact with listeners. His expressive language is vague: his sentences are

long enough and have the right grammar and syntax (word order) but the words he chooses do

not quite communicate his meaning and the listener has to work extra hard at decoding the

message. It is hard to have a conversation with Mitch: he tends to monopolize the talking, works

hard to steer it toward one of his favorite subjects and does not appear to be listening when it is

the other person’s turn to talk. He has trouble with focus and attention: he is quite distractible.

He has two favorite subjects (farm tractors and the carved images at Mt. Rushmore)) and doesn’t

really talk much about anything else. He does not play very much with other children at school

or in the neighborhood and interacts mainly with adults. Mitch periodically has bouts of anxiety

and it is much harder for him to focus when that is happening. In speech therapy, among other

objectives, we practiced looking at the listener and using just exactly the right word(s) to answer

questions.

Read about autism Spectrum Disorder in your DSM-5 and then, using the internet, The "Cross-

Cutting Measures," in Course Content, and any other resources you can find, share with each

other different forms of treatment that might be appropriate for Mitch in the above scenario. Be

sure and look at the information on Case Formulation as well.

Respond to Classmate 1:

Mitch has some pretty classic symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder such as social

communication deficits. Specifically his inability to make eye contact with listeners, vague

language, and his desire to monopolize the conversation. He also demonstrates an inability to

focus and is distractable. After some reading and research, it seems to me that a team approach

might be best for Mitch since this disorder extends to several areas of his life. A Behavior and

Communication Therapy Program would be appropriate to address social, language, and

behavioral issues as well as teach Mitch new skills. He may also benefit from Educational

Therapies at the same time. This could include a highly structured program at school to help

improve social skills and communication in that context as well. Family Therapy is important as

well as those that interact with him regularly should learn how to interact with Mitch in a way

that could promote social interaction, manage problem behavior, and teach living and

communication skills at the same time (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). As treatment goes on, it may become

necessary to make adjustments as you go. I would also add that it's important that the team are all

on the same page as far as treatment is concerned to avoid confusion and conflict.

References:

Mayo Clinic (n.d.) Autism Spectrum Disorder, Diagnosis and Treatment. Retrieved from:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/autism-spectrum-disorder/diagnosis-

treatment/drc-20352934

Respond to Classmate 2:

Mitch has trouble making eye contact with listeners- There is currently a new technology tool for

those with Autism called Superpower glass that can help children with Autism recognize

emotions better through detecting facial expressions and providing visual and audio cues that can

be used through a Phone App to help Mitch practice. This may also help with his tendency to

dominate conversations and pick up more emotional and visual cues from others. This may

improve his overall emotional intelligence as well. It is great that he is in Speech Therapy.

Speech therapy is a great for Mitch to help with his vague expressive language and can also help

to improve his communication skills, and vocabulary to correspond well with his syntax and

grammar. This may help him to learn verbal communication skills and be able to express himself

more freely and accurately. Considering he struggles with his attention, this may be an indicator

that he may also have ADHD and it would be wise to get him tested for this. Seeing that he

seems to hyper focus on his two favorite subjects (farm tractors and the carved images at Mt.

Rushmore)) which may also indicate ADHD.

Adult supervised socialization and “structured play” with kids his own age with toys and objects

to play may also be key to helping him interact with others appropriately his age. As he begins to

socialize more, it may just need to be monitored in case there are clashes due to ASD.

Mitch’s family may also want to consider some of the most popular sensory toys to help him

cope with his anxiety. This may even help him to open up during his speech therapy sessions.

Some of the best toys include:

Sensory Mats

Sand, Slime, or Putty

Pin Art

Rainmaker Toys (Soothing)

Fidget Spinners

https://carmenbpingree.com/blog/6-best-sensory-toys-for-children-with-autism/

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/autism