Treatment Planning for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

A new way of thinking about treatment planning to supportchildren with autism spectrum disordersGrounded in solid theory, Treatment Planning for Childrenwith Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Individualized, Problem-SolvingApproachhelps educators and therapists who work with childrenwith autism spectrum disorders make sense of this confusing, oftenconflicting, and rapidly evolving clinical and research treatmentlandscape.Rooted in evidence-based practices, Chedd and Levine provide a7-step dynamic treatment planning process. The book shows how avariety of current interventions and treatments can be incorporatedinto this process and includes applications of different approachesfor tackling different problems. The nine illustrative casevignettes cover a wide variety of ages, developmental challenges,learning and social profiles, and school and familycircumstances.With a firm commitment to and focus on the child's bestinterests as well as family needs and preferences, TreatmentPlanning for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders offersprofessionals new possibilities for enhancing the quality of lifefor children with ASDs.

Preface ixAcknowledgments xvAbout the Authors xvii1 Introduction: Looking at Treatment Planning Through aDifferent Lens 1Defining Best Practices 2Media Overload 3A New Way of Thinking about Autism Treatment 4Core Deficits of Autism 5How the Book is Organized 5Case Studies 8About the Appendices 102 What is Evidence Based Practice? 11What is So Important About EBP? 12Common Errors in Evaluating Treatments 12Emotions Versus Logic 14How Can Treatments be Evaluated? 16History of Evidence Based Practice in Psychology 17Brief History of EBP and Autism 18Evolution and Expansion of EBP 20EBP as it Pertains to Autism 22The Evolution of Treatment Models and Terminology 24Client Voice in What to Treat and How to Treat 27What is Important to Study? What is Important to Treat? 32The Role Context in Treatment Selection 34Positive and Negative Policy Implications of uses of EBP inAutism Treatments 35Conclusions and Recommendations 373 The Individualized, Problem-Solving Treatment Process 39Treatment Process 394 Jamal: A Previously Happy Preschooler Disengages 715 Katherine: A Nine Year Old Learns to Cope with Hew OwnExplosive Episodes 856 Brandon: Developmental Delays and OCD present a Big Challengefor a Non-verbal Preschooler 1037 Rafael: A Happy, Well-Behaved 6-Year-Old Becomes IncreasinglyRigid 1198 Alex: Extreme Mood Dysregulation Interferes with School andHome Functioning for a Fourth Grader 1399 Emily: A Passive Teenager Begins to Learn Self-Help Skills15710 Chen: A Teenager With Asperger's Hits Bottom, But WithHelp and Determination, Heads for College 17311 Michael: A 10-Year-Old Whose Behaviors Are Becoming MoreDisruptive and Aggressive 18912 Jake: A 5-Year-Old Who Has Responded Well to Floortime(TM)207Afterword 215Appendix: Autism Treatment Approaches 221References 229Author Index 239Subject Index 243