Yesterday, a commenter on this blog suggested that attempts to build social or speech skills could actually harm a child with autism: "IMO and I'm sure no one likes it, we are just as likely to cause harm than not by employing any therapy, including speech. I'd do it over by letting him speak at his own rate, and putting him under no stress until it's correctible [through biomedical treatment]."
She bases this opinion, in part, on headlines from a recent study of adults with Alzheimer's disease, which state that mental activity can delay Alzheimer's but that the disease progresses more rapidly once it strikes. If this is the case, she suggests, perhaps helping our kids to talk, play and engage will result in negative outcomes.
It is very important that parents understand that (1) Alzheimer's, while it shares some common features with autism, is a different disorder with a very different progression, and that (2) the Alzheimer's study does not suggest that intellectual engagement hastens the long-term outcomes of Alzheimer's. In fact, intellectual activity slows the onset of symptoms - but not the actual pathology of the disease. In other words, intellectual activity protects the Alzheimer's sufferer from the effects of neurological degeneration until the degeneration is significantly advanced.
One of the lead researchers explains his findings on NPR:
We think it [intellectual stimulation] helps stave off the initial symptoms from the buildup of this pathology. But if you were destined to get the disease anyway and the pathology is continuing to build up, at some point your defenses are no longer effective. And at that point, because of how effective they've been before that point, you've got a lot more pathology than the person next to you who's got just as much cognitive impairment but they didn't have that tool to fight off the pathology so they actually have less at that point than do you. So, really, it's just delaying the effect of that pathology.
It's not, in any way, worsening your course. You end up, we think, at the same place as someone who is less cognitively active. But in doing so, you spend less of your lifespan in a cognitively disabled state. And that, I think, is something that virtually anyone would say is a benefit.
It's true that autism is poorly understood, and it's true that we may find increasingly effective treatments for the core symptoms of social/communications challenges. But whatever we learn, and however we progress, it will always be important to communicate, play and have fun with our children! Actively connecting with our kids -- whether through words, tickle games, signing or picture cards -- is not only a great way to help a child build skills - it's also a great way for parents to build a bond with their child.
It goes without saying that I disagree with your commenter Lisa. Right now, I, along with many others, am running an adult day program. We have adults from all ages…22-80. I can say, to a person, that th adults who have had language and social skills education are living lives that are much, much happier and full than those who did not. We have older adults with autism who either lived with their families or in state institutions who had little to no language stimulation who are incredibly frustrated by their inability to communicate. Thankfully, it is never too late to start and we are seeing some real progress even with out most elderly people, when quality language instruction begins.
Studies have shown early intervention is the best way to help a child with autism. One must offer the tools and opportunity if there is ever to be progress but what often happens is parents expect a rather fast progression and will change therapies to something else before giving the options they’ve tried a long enough chance. That wouldn’t really cause harm to the child, maybe confusion. Many interventions are expensive, which is why parents must choose wisely and then stick to it. It’s interesting of all the advocating for early intervention, that anyone would suggest otherwise and then go so far as to suggest it may harm.
Children will progress at their own rate with or without intervention, however the child with autism probably will never progress without some intense intervention.
It is important for parents not to confuse other disorders, like Alzheimer’s into the mix. It’s hard to compare a disorder which effects the elderly and it’s often a mistake that those with autism are not intelligent just because they have no speech. Those with Alzheimer’s often don’t loose speech.
I think some parents have a difficult time seeing their child for the child they are. All they see is autism and autism only and this reduces the chance of ever finding enjoyment with the child.
My response was an honest one in reply to the question, “what I would do “today” if I found out my child had autism.
It is just that, my opinion, based on what I believe. I could go on saying that all research for the last several decades zoned in on removing or halting the plaque deposits in the brains of alzheimers patients, only for the newest science to find these plaques are protective. As an oyster will form a pearl to protect from a grain of sand, these plaques formed to protect from circulating oligomers. This demands recognition that many prescribed medications for alzheimers aimed at plaque removal are causing great harm and progression of disease. Lisa already described the hastening of alzheimers through stimulation. These are two separate findings that fly in the face of all previous research.
Now, are alzheimers and autism similar, maybe. No one , as yet ,can answer that question other than presenting the obvious occurance at different ends of the life cycle. I see that it raised som fur, it was more personal than that, it was my honest answer. Until the facts are in everyone should do what makes them comfortable, and what makes them feel safe. Stopping stimulation and not listening to “science” that “feels wrong ” to me is my decision.
We notice as mothers, around the age of 10 weeks or so, our infants like to respond to us, they will coo and make all sorts of facial expressions and sounds, we also KNOW that at times, even though cute, they may start to get over stimulated so we switch them to a calmer activity, such as nursing or holding..it’s our intuitive nature as mothers to halt over stimulation. Play time with our kids if natural and not stressful for the child or the parent is NOT overstimulation, constantly trying to achieve a goal is. JMO
The only real thing one could say about autism and Alzheimer’s is why some and not all, or way not the majority. Both have ton’s of research on it but like many things, answers take time. To do nothing and let each takes it’s natural course is not the thing to do.
Barbara, just to reiterate, the Alzheimers research you’re referencing did NOT find that “overstimulation” caused faster onset of the disorder. Rather, it found that mental stimulation caused a slower response to the same pathology. In the long run, both mentally stimulated and unstimulated people wound up in the same place at the same time.
I think perhaps we’re having trouble with definitions, though. “Overstimulation” – whether for older adults or for kids with autism – is quite different from being engaged, communicative, and interested in the world. Like everyone else, I agree that it is easy to overdo in any direction – whether through therapy, school, work, or play.
Lisa
No it does not cause faster onset, it causes quicker deterioration, and to imply that it stays off alzheimer’s , in other words those that are disease free remain disease free longer is a big MAYBE because they are disease free!
the comments are so warm and fuzzy from the study..such as ..
“We think this is very good news,” Wilson says. “It suggests that cognitive activity extends your period of cognitive independence as long as it possibly can.”
And it will likely shorten the battle at the end of life. This means Alzheimer’s patients may be less of a burden to caregivers and loved ones.”
Cognitive independence of those not diagnosed with alzheimer’s..a leap! clearly the study is saying those who have more reserves may not get alzheimer’s as early but to suggest these mental exercises determined who got a stay is going outside of their findings….quicker deterioration rings of let’s kill grandma ..and quicker deterioration was proven on actual alzheimer’s diagnosed patients. I’ve heard the last few days that this is a silver lining.
There’s a big leap between offering any therapy, including speech, and stimulation or over-stimulation with autism. If you do not engage a child with autism at all, you’re just not going to see progress, all children need to learn. Those with autism need more help than others. Autism, you have a very young child and brain, with the capability to learn and to adapt. With Alzheimer’s both mentally stimulated and unstimulated people wound up in the same place at the same time. That can not be said about autism. If there is a child not progressing, many things can attribute to that but most all children with autism do progress, period. Those that simply never progress probably have far more going on than autism can explain.
As I recall, the abstract for this study indicated that people with higher ed “passed” as NT longer longer than others – and so were in a more advanced stage when the Alzheimers was ID’d… as to stimulation: plants exhibit photropism when stimulated by light… point being stimulation, or reactivity, is part of being alive. Over-stimulation, to stick with the plant analogy, would lead to burned leaves. People with ASD are sensitive to some stimulae, and may melt-down. Bear in mind that there are some effective de-sensitivation therapies; and it should be remembered that a melt-down may also be an avoidance mechanism that’s proved successful in the past.
1988
A Reduced Stimulation Unit: Effects on Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders
T. Anne Cleary, PhD1, Cheryll Clamon, MSW2, Marjorie Price, RN, MA2 and Gail Shullaw, RN2
+ Author Affiliations
1300 Jefferson Building, University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 52242
2Oaknoll Retirement Residence, 701 Oaknoll Drive Iowa City, IA 52240
Abstract
A special unit for the care of patients with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders was evaluated. In the new unit, in which reduced stimulation was emphasized, patient weight loss was curtailed, patient agitation was diminished, restraint use was reduced, and wandering no longer was a concern of staff or other patients. Family members were very satisfied with the care and staff did not react negatively to the isolation.
Key words
Alzheimer’s diseaseLong term careReduced stimulation© 1988 The Gerontological Society of America
barbaraj – thanks for the citation – but that study is from 1988 (ancient history in the field…) and, without reading through, I question how “stimulation” was defined. In any event, the source for this thread was undoubtedly an NPR program, found at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129628082. And this shows how important citations can be!
Yes, and that was my point, if they “knew” the outcome 22 yrs ago, whey are they presenting this as “news” today. I don’t believe old studies are without value because of their age, some older studies are actually more sound than newer ones. There were few political motivations back then, making for cleaner science,as well.
I gotta agree that finding some way to have fun is always good. : ) But as an adult with an ASD who has vivid childhood memories, as much as I don’t want to discourage parents from any early intervention that might be truly helpful to their child, I think there might be something true and substantial in the commentor’s fear that a therapy which attempts to force a child to speak, or progress at a rate that they’re not ready for, could do more harm than good.
I was an extremely quiet and painfully shy child, and all attempts to force or coerce me into speaking or doing other things that I wasn’t ready to do only made me resentful and more fearful in the long run. Until the time that I was ready to do those things for my own reasons, in my own time, at my own level of comfort, all attempts to push me to speak were something between completely useless and worse than useless.
I even ended up joining a debate society in college, and loved it, and became a halfway decent public speaker. But until I wanted it for myself, and not because someone else wanted it from me, what I experienced as coercion to do it always hurt more than it helped.