Early Intervention Provider-Reported NDBI Use and Relationships with Provider- to System-Level Implementation Determinants.

An expanding evidence base has advocated for delivery of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs) within community systems, thus extending the reach of these practices to young autistic children. The current study examined provider-reported use of NBDIs within a Part C Early Intervention (EI) system and the extent to which provider background, attitudes, and perceived organizational support predicted NDBI use. Results from 100 EI providers representing multiple disciplines indicated reported use of NDBI strategies within their practice despite inconsistent reported competency with manualized NDBI programs. Although NDBI strategy use was not predicted by provider experiences or perceived organizational support, provider openness to new interventions predicted the reported use of NDBI strategies. Future directions include mixed methods data collection across and within EI systems to better understand NDBI use and ultimately facilitate NDBI implementation.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Implications for Care.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication and the presence of restrictive and repetitive behavior. Individuals with ASD, particularly those from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, are at higher risk of certain health conditions and mortality over the lifespan. Disparities in timing of diagnosis, access to services, and quality of care have a significant impact on the trajectory of individuals on the autism spectrum. Health care providers and law enforcement officers often interact with individuals with ASD and need adequate preparation to provide person-centered care to this vulnerable population.

Early Observation of Red Flags in 12-Month-Old Infant Siblings Later Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Purpose Valid and reliable screening tools are needed to improve early detection and optimize developmental outcomes for toddlers at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study aimed to evaluate the utility of the Systematic Observation of Red Flags (SORF) for ASD at 12 months of age in a sample of high-risk infant siblings of children with ASD. Method As part of a prospective, longitudinal study, we examined the sensitivity and specificity of the SORF at 12 months for predicting a diagnosis of ASD at 24 months in a sample of 122 infants, 31 of whom were diagnosed with ASD. Results The optimal SORF Composite cutoff score of 18 correctly identified 24 of the 31 twelve-month-olds who were diagnosed with ASD, yielding a sensitivity of .77 and a specificity of .76. The optimal SORF Red Flags cutoff score of 7 correctly identified 20 of the 31 infants, yielding a sensitivity of .65 and a specificity of .75. Conclusion This preliminary study demonstrates the potential of the SORF as an effective observational screening measure for 12-month-olds at risk for ASD with good discrimination, sensitivity, and specificity.

Integrating Early Brain Science and Skills Into Prelicensure Nursing Curriculum to Promote Parent-Child Interaction.

BACKGROUND: Research shows that the number of loving words children hear in their first 3 years of life has a tremendous impact on their health, developmental, and literacy outcomes. Early language transactions should be rich in engagement, quantity, quality, and context-a term called language nutrition. PROBLEM: The curriculum in most nursing programs does not emphasize the importance of early language exposure and ways to empower families to talk with their babies. APPROACH: The Talk With Me Baby Curriculum for Nurses, which includes techniques to empower families to better engage conversationally with their babies, was integrated into the prelicensure nursing curriculum. OUTCOMES: More than 1,300 nursing students have received knowledge and skills on early language exposure and ways nurses can promote parent-child interactions. CONCLUSION: Nurses have the opportunity to empower families to engage with their babies socially, emotionally, and linguistically as a means of promoting healthy brain development.

Factors associated with enrollment into a clinical trial of caregiver-implemented intervention for infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder.

LAY ABSTRACT: Early intervention helps to address developmental delays in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Yet, research suggests there are barriers to enrollment into research studies that test the effectiveness of these interventions for infants at risk. This study identifies family characteristics that were associated with agreement to enroll in a clinical trial of early intervention for 12-month-old infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder. As part of a large longitudinal study, infants were evaluated for early signs of autism spectrum disorder at 1 year of age. Of the fifty-seven infants who were showing signs of autism and deemed eligible for the early intervention trial, 44% declined enrollment. Results suggest that families were more likely to decline enrolling into the intervention study if the mother was working full time, the total household income was between US$60,000 and US$100,000, and they lived further from the clinic. In contrast, infant autism symptoms and parental concern at 12 months were not significantly associated with enrollment. These findings highlight the need for intervention studies that are more accessible to parents, for example, intervention that takes place in the home, in addition to more research on how parental understanding of, and willingness to act on, early social-communication delays impact intervention study enrollment. Future research can then examine how to address these barriers to enrollment in early intervention studies. Such findings will shed light on best practices for dissemination of early identification and intervention strategies.

The Power of Language Nutrition for Children's Brain Development, Health, and Future Academic Achievement.

Language Nutrition, a term created to describe language exposure that is rich in quality and quantity and delivered in the context of social interactions, is crucial for a child's development and is strongly associated with his/her future literacy, academic achievement, and health. However, significant differences in children's early language environments contribute to disparities in their educational and health trajectories. Interventions, including book distribution programs, coaching parents to enrich their child's language environment, and public awareness campaigns, have all been shown to positively influence a child's access to language-rich interactions. Incorporating Language Nutrition coaching and literacy promotion into pediatrics is a promising platform for building the capacity of parents to provide language exposure to their children. By teaching parents both how and why to treat their child as a conversational partner and by modeling such interactions, pediatric health care providers can help parents set their children on a pathway toward literacy, educational success, and health.

Leveraging the Skills of Nurses and the Power of Language Nutrition to Ensure a Better Future for Children.

BACKGROUND: Early language exposure is critical for language acquisition and significantly influences a child's literacy skills. However, preterm infants may experience language deprivation in the neonatal intensive care unit. Nurses are vital to helping parents understand their critical role in early language development. PURPOSE: To discuss the impact of language-rich interactions and interventions that promote early language exposure, or Language Nutrition, by parents and caregivers on the long-term developmental, language, and educational outcomes of high-risk infants. METHODS/SEARCH STRATEGY: A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Web of Science to identify articles that examined the influence of language interactions with high-risk infants on developmental outcomes. Recent campaigns touting the importance of early language exposure were identified through the Bridging the Word Gap Research Network. FINDINGS/RESULTS: Increasing preterm infants' exposure to Language Nutrition improves their language development, promotes parent-infant attachment, and decreases parent stress. In addition, it may result in greater neuroplasticity and volume of the auditory cortex. Several campaigns have been developed to increase children's access to Language Nutrition and can be implemented into everyday pediatric and neonatal care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Pediatric, neonatal nurses and advanced practice nurses are uniquely positioned to play a transformational role in high-risk infants' developmental trajectory by educating parents about the importance of Language Nutrition and supporting parents as they engage with their infant. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Studies investigating the population-level impact of interventions aimed at increasing infants' access to Language Nutrition as well as studies identifying effective ways to communicate messages about Language Nutrition are warranted.

Autism screening and diagnosis in low resource settings: Challenges and opportunities to enhance research and services worldwide.

Most research into the epidemiology, etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of autism is based on studies in high income countries. Moreover, within high income countries, individuals of high socioeconomic status are disproportionately represented among participants in autism research. Corresponding disparities in access to autism screening, diagnosis, and treatment exist globally. One of the barriers perpetuating this imbalance is the high cost of proprietary tools for diagnosing autism and for delivering evidence-based therapies. Another barrier is the high cost of training of professionals and para-professionals to use the tools. Open-source and open access models provide a way to facilitate global collaboration and training. Using these models and technologies, the autism scientific community and clinicians worldwide should be able to work more effectively and efficiently than they have to date to address the global imbalance in autism knowledge and at the same time advance our understanding of autism and our ability to deliver cost-effective services to everyone in need.

Toward innovative, cost-effective, and systemic solutions to improve outcomes and well-being of military families affected by autism spectrum disorder.

The burdens faced by military families who have a child with autism are unique. The usual challenges of securing diagnostic, treatment, and educational services are compounded by life circumstances that include the anxieties of war, frequent relocation and separation, and a demand structure that emphasizes mission readiness and service. Recently established military autism-specific health care benefits set the stage for community-viable and cost-effective solutions that can achieve better outcomes for children and greater well-being for families. Here we argue for implementation of evidence-based solutions focused on reducing age of diagnosis and improving access to early intervention, as well as establishment of a tiered menu of services, individualized to the child and family, that fit with the military ethos and system of health care. Absence of this new model of care could compromise the utility and sustainability of the autism-specific benefit.

Autism spectrum disorders and prematurity: a review across gestational age subgroups.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are increasingly recognized as a public health problem. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence for ASD is now 1 in 88. The prevalence of ASDs in children has increased over the past 2 decades, nearly doubling the prevalence since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began tracking these numbers. Infants are defined as premature when birth takes place before 37 weeks' gestation (259 days from the first day of the mother's last menstrual period). More than 4 million live births occur in the United States each year. Preterm births account for approximately half a million of those births. The rate of premature birth has increased by more than 20% between 1990 and 2006. Cognitive impairment and atypical brain development are thought to be sequelae of preterm delivery. Low birth weight and preterm birth place these infants at higher risk for disturbances in social interaction, communication, and other psychoaffective disorders in adulthood. Major advances in the field of early autism detection include validated screening tools to facilitate early screening for children with ASD as well as those considered to be at high risk for the disorder. Given the significant maternal and neonatal morbidities that are often coupled with prematurity, understanding the prevalence and risk factors that are implicated in changes in the fetal brain may provide researchers with vital links to autism in this population.