News from OAR

OAR’s New Military Families Web Site Takes Form

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A draft of OAR's new Web site for military families.

Within the next 45 days OAR will launch a new Web site intended as a resource for military families that have children with autism.  Research for the project, funded by a grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation, has been underway all year.  In the past month, the OAR staff has been working on the concept and design of the Web site intent on completing the task not later than October 1. 

“Autism presents parents and families with many challenges under normal circumstances,” says OAR Executive Director Mike Maloney.  “Autism in the context of a military family magnifies many of those challenges and adds a few more that are unique to the demands of military life and service.  Our goal is to provide a friendly, inviting, and useful Web site that provides information tailored for these families and their needs.”

The Web site will feature five main content areas and a resource directory that will provide information on schools, services, and supports available at or near military installations across the United States and some overseas locations.  To help those with specific questions, the home page will display seven “How Do I…?” questions that represent some of the most pressing questions parents ask.  Each question will link directly to the page within the site where the question is addressed and answered. 

The content areas include Autism 101, Raising a Child with Autism, Autism & Military Healthcare, Educating Children with Autism, and Tips for PCS Moves & Other Transitions. 

Autism 101 will provide basic information about autism spectrum disorders and warning signs oriented toward the parent of a newly diagnosed child with autism.  The remaining content areas and the resource directory will provide information for parents across the board.

Raising a Child with Autism will address post-diagnosis topics such as: immediate action after the diagnosis, the autism learning curve, stress, sources of support, and continuity of care.

Autism & Military Healthcare will provide an overview of the key policies and programs governing healthcare within the Department of Defense (DoD) related to having a child with autism.

Educating Children with Autism will provide useful information for educational success, as well as information on Individual Education Programs (IEPs).

Tips for PCS Moves & Other Transitions will offer practical advice and tips on how to prepare the child with autism and the family for a range of transitions from new duty stations, permanent change of station moves, schools, leaving the service, and more.

The Search for Resources section will include information and links to DoD and military sites, national autism organizations, specific autism topics of interest, and pertinent sections of OAR’s main Web site in addition to the Resource Directory.

“This has been a huge undertaking,” says Maloney.  “But we are excited at the potential of the new resource and its capacity to serve the needs of military families touched by autism well.”

For more information or questions regarding the Web site or the companion resource, Life Journey through Autism: A Military Guide, please contact Mike Maloney or Alyssa Kruszyna at 703-243-9710 or by email at info@researchautism.org.

No More Meltdowns: Handling Challenging Behaviors and Teaching Social Skills
By Jed Baker, Ph.D.

Jed Baker, Ph.D. will provide the opening keynote address for OAR’s 2009 Applied Autism Research and Intervention Conference. His presentation will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, October 23. In the article below, he discusses the topic of his presentation. You can also read more about him at the end of the article.

Jed Baker, Ph.D.

During my training as a behavioral psychologist, I was taught that consistency in rules was a key to good behavior management. Beware of attending and giving in to tantrums, I was told, as this may just reinforce that behavior. Later I heard from a variety of sources that students with autism sometimes failed to learn from consequences when overly frustrated, and that trying to distract or soothe them might be best during these agitated moments.  This led to some confusion as to how to deal with these challenging moments: hold firm to rules and consequences or soothe and distract?

That dilemma, along with trying to raise my own kids, led me to sketch out how to deal with these problems in a book called No More Meltdowns. In the book, I tried to answer that question of when to be firm and when to bend, but also the more important question: How do parents and other caregivers prevent these problems? If we know the triggers to meltdowns and challenging moments, we can avoid those triggers and teach crucial skills to prepare students for how to handle those difficult situations.

When it comes to teaching skills, whether coping skills for challenging situations or just skills to relate better to others, there are certain key components we must consider in order to be effective. In 2007, Scott Bellini reviewed published outcome studies for social skill training in schools for children with autism and came to the conclusion that skills training has not been very effective. He and others have pointed to some of the reasons for this lack of positive results. Sometimes students know the skills, but do not perform them when necessary because of a lack of motivation, poor fluency with the skill, or inability to recall the skill in the moment.

Based on his and others’ recommendations, I have suggested five crucial elements to make skills training more effective:

1. Target relevant skills.
2. Ensure individuals are motivated to learn and perform skills.
3. Teach skills explicitly.
4. Create ways to generalize skills.
5. Teach peers to be more sensitive to the needs of autistic learners.

The last element, peer training, has been a focus of my work ever since I first saw Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D. [OAR’s president] give a presentation many years ago in which he explained that socializing is always a two-way street; we must teach both our clients and their peers. Now we are making efforts to create peer buddy programs across the country, starting in some of our local New Jersey schools and spreading the word. Initial research suggests that not only do students with autism benefit, but their typically developing peers also show greater confidence and increases in academic performance as a result of their participation.

Get the Latest and Greatest on OAR’s Upcoming Conference Right Here

New APA CE Credits

Last February, OAR conducted a conference survey, which was summarized in the March 2009 issue of The OARacle (read about it here).  In response to several recommendations from that survey, OAR decided to seek permission to offer Continuing Education (CE) credits from the American Psychological Association (APA).  OAR was officially approved as a provider of APA CE credits last week.  October’s Applied Autism Research and Intervention Conference meets the criteria for a total of 11 credit hours!

In addition to this new enhancement, each attendee can also receive a total of 9 BACB CE credits, as well as 1.2 ASHA CEUs.  In order to receive ASHA CEUs, attendees must be present both days of the conference.

Early-Bird Deadline

There is only one month remaining to receive the Early-Bird price for this event!  If you register by September 24, the cost is just $75/one day or $125/both days.  On September 25, prices will increase to $100 and $175, respectively.

Hotel Room Block Cut-Off

Are you coming in from out of town? Then remember this date: September 21.  On this date, OAR’s discounted room block ($169/night plus tax) will end and rates will increase.  Rooms in this block are limited and are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so act soon!  Remember to mention the Organization for Autism Research to receive the discount.

To read more about OAR’s exciting line-up of speakers and events, please visit www.researchautism.org/news/conference or call Alyssa Kruszyna at 703-243-9717.

Announcing the 2009 Schwallie Family Scholarship Winners

OAR takes great pleasure in announcing the recipients of the Schwallie Family Scholarships for 2009.  Each of the seven winners will receive a $3,000 scholarship for the next academic year.  OAR makes awards in three categories: students attending a four-year college, those attending a two-year college, and others attending a vocational/technical school that leads to a certification.  To be eligible, an applicant must have an autism diagnosis, be accepted for enrollment as a full-time student, complete OAR’s application form, and submit a personal essay.

This year OAR received 270 applications, more than triple the number in 2008.  Four of the recipients will study at a four-year college, two will attend a vocational/technical school, and the final scholarship winner will pursue a two-year degree.

The 2009 Schwallie Family Scholarship recipients are:

Four-Year Undergraduate Studies

Elizabeth Boresow is from Leawood, KS, and will be attending the University of Kansas in Lawrence. She is currently enrolled in a music therapy program, where she wishes to use her understanding to give back and help others. Elizabeth has already started this work by beginning a social skills group for students with autism at her high school and has also testified before her state legislature regarding autism and transitioning.

Eric Dingess from Pittsburgh, PA, will be attending the University of Pittsburgh this fall. During high school, Eric participated in 10 clubs, and was president of the Mock Trial Club and secretary of the Young Democrats Club. He plans to enter into law school and aspires to one day become attorney general.

Mary Ellen Matthews is from Lombard, IL, and currently attends Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI, where she is pursuing her childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian. Despite continual moves, Mary Ellen has sought out opportunities to gain experience related to veterinary medicine, including shadowing opportunities and cleaning jobs. In addition, she made every effort to join activities strengthening her math and science skills, such as the Varsity Scholastic Bowl Team and Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering.

Laura Spoerl from Appleton, WI, is attending Alverno College where she is working to receive a degree in music therapy. After graduation, Laura hopes to become a board-certified music therapist and open her own practice. Her passion to help others with disabilities has also led her to help found the Wisconsin Statewide Transition Initiative Youth Leadership Council and become a counselor for the Youth Leadership Forum, a summer camp for high school students with disabilities.

Two-Year Undergraduate Studies

Brendan B. Strong is from Wantagh, NY, and currently attends Nassau Community College. In high school, Brendan was able to overcome the devastating loss of his father and graduate on the honor roll and with a Regents diploma. He is pursuing a major in liberal arts but is considering changing to a degree in the field of criminal justice.

Trade, Technical or Vocational School Winners

Ryan Fox from Spokane Valley, WA, will be entering North Seattle Community College’s Watch Technology Institute, a school that only accepts 12 students each year. During his college career, Ryan pursued several different majors, but never found one that fully satisfied him. Ryan finally realized his calling when he visited a local watchmaker to learn more about the craft and subsequently applied to the Watch Technology Institute.

Eric Schreiber is from Stony Point, NY, and has been accepted to Lincoln Technical Institute to pursue his deep interest in automobiles. After working on a production line for an international car audio manufacturer for two years, Eric decided to go back to school. Now at Lincoln Tech, he hopes to pursue a career working for Audi.

Congratulations to each of the winners! And to the parents and teachers who contributed to their development and success along the way!

The Schwallie Family Scholarship program, now in its third year, is the inspiration of OAR Board member Ed Schwallie, his wife, Marge, and the Schwallie family. Since its inception in 2007, 15 individuals with autism have received Schwallie Family scholarships.

In addition to thanking the Schwallies, OAR is also grateful for the reviewers, led by OAR Board Member Lori Lapin Jones, who had the most difficult job of narrowing down 270 well-deserving applicants to seven finalists. Last, but most certainly not least, OAR thanks everyone who has donated to OAR’s Scholarship Fund in the past year. It is OAR's hope that the number of awards given each year will continue to increase as awareness and support for this program grows. For more information on donating, please visit www.researchautism.org/support/donate/index.asp

If you are interested in applying for a Schwallie Family Scholarship next year, you will find the guidelines and application form at www.researchautism.org/news/otherevents/scholarship.asp

The Combined Federal Campaign Kicks Off Its 2009 Campaign in September

Our military personnel and the people who serve in our federal government give of themselves unstintingly in the service of our country wherever they serve around the world. 

From the bravery of all service members serving in harm’s way to the contribution of countless federal workers in agencies ranging from the EPA to the CDC, they are working to make our country healthy and safe every day.

Yet they go above and beyond the requirements of their jobs to give even more each year through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), which kicks off again next month.

According to the reports from the 2008 CFC, members of the U.S. military services and federal employees around the world pledged more than $273 million to charity--including $197,300 to OAR--in last year’s campaign. OAR’s workplace campaign success did not end with the CFC.

Employees in several state and municipal charitable drives and others in private corporate workplace campaigns contributed more than $88,000, resulting in a total of $285,800 in CFC/workplace campaign pledges last year. OAR will receive these funds in monthly distributions over the next year and will use them immediately to support its ongoing research and information programs.

“Despite the often rigorous and sometimes dangerous demands of their duties and jobs, our military personnel and federal employees go above those demands to voluntarily make charitable contributions that will greatly improve the lives of others,” says Mike Maloney, OAR’s executive director.  “We appreciate their service and their continued generosity.” 

The CFC is the federal government’s annual charitable campaign. OAR participated first in 2003 as a local agency in selected CFC drives in the National Capital area, which includes the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Since 2004, OAR has participated as a national charity as a member of the Health and Medical Research Charities of America federation. OAR has once again met all the qualifying standards for the CFC this year and will participate in the campaign this fall.

To qualify for the CFC, a charity must apply and meet a series of standards each year. Principal among these is to have a ratio of expenses to revenues of less than 25 percent and to be eligible nationally to demonstrate viable program services in at least 15 states in the past three years. OAR met the 15-state requirement six years ago and has a qualifying ratio of 15.87 percent for this year’s CFC campaign.

On a related note, this year, OAR received Charity Navigator’s 4-star rating, symbolic of an efficient, well-managed charity, and, in 2005, the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence. The Seal of Excellence is awarded to the members of Independent Charities of America (ICA) and Local Independent Charities of America that have, upon rigorous independent review, been able to certify, document, and demonstrate on an annual basis that they meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. These standards include those required by the U.S. government for inclusion in the CFC. According the ICA’s estimate, of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards. Of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal.

Charity Navigator is the largest and most utilized, independent evaluator of charities in the U.S.  Its four-star rating signifies that the charity “exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its Cause.”  Only about 25 percent of charities they review receive four stars.

For more information on OAR’s participation in the CFC or state and local charitable campaigns, please contact Mike Maloney at OAR.

Gerhardt Honored at DC Disability Awareness Night

It has been a long summer for the Washington Nationals baseball team and their fans as DC’s team has struggled to win games.  The Nats’ woes on the field have not detracted from the organization’s community relations efforts, however. As a part of those efforts, the Nationals, in coordination with Exceptional Parent (EP) and Mass Mutual, hosted Disability Awareness Night at Nationals Park on August 5.

During the pre-game ceremonies, OAR President, Dr. Peter Gerhardt, received the EP Maxwell J. Schleifer Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his outstanding work and service in the field of autism.

Named after the late founder and editor-in-chief of Exceptional Parent, the award was presented by EP Global Communications, Inc. and the EP Foundation for Education.  EP selects honorees for work, life, and advocacy on behalf of persons with disabilities.  In order to receive the award, a candidate must have:

• Demonstrated courage in overcoming his or her own disability or have worked on behalf of those with special needs or disabilities.
• Been involved in scientific research leading to the early detection of disorders and appropriate intervention therapies.
• Demonstrated leadership in an effort to expand awareness about how people with disabilities can be productive citizens in our society either by his or her exemplary leadership of an organization or association, as an employer hiring and training people with disabilities including intellectual disabilities, or as a philanthropist.

Dr. Gerhardt qualified in all three areas.

As 18,312 fans looked on, Dr. Gerhardt was escorted to home plate for the presentation ceremony, which was broadcast on the five-story high-definition scoreboard. He received a plaque in recognition of the honor with an inscription commending him for his “competitive spirit and effort on behalf of the disability community.”

OAR Chairman Jim Sack, board members Greg Smith and Roger Heymann, and members of OAR’s staff watched proudly as Dr. Gerhardt received the award.  “It was wonderful to be there to see Peter honored as part of this event,” Assistant Director of Research and Programs Alyssa Kruszyna commented.  “We witness his tireless dedication to individuals on the autism spectrum each day, but it was inspiring and gratifying to see firsthand that others beyond OAR do recognize and value his efforts and service to the autism community as well.”

Doug Marocco Leaves OAR for a “Can’t Refuse” Opportunity

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Douglas Marocco

It is with an odd mixture of regret and happiness that OAR announces the departure of Doug Marocco, the RUN FOR AUTISM director for the past three years.  Marocco has accepted a new job that is truly one of those “can’t refuse” opportunities.  He will return to his Marine Corps roots at Quantico and trade his sometimes hour plus commute to OAR for a four-mile jog or bike ride to work, one of several quality of life enhancements the new job offers. 

While OAR hates to lose him, everyone at OAR could not be happier for him and his family. “Doug has led this program with enthusiasm, integrity, and great passion for the cause,” says Executive Director Mike Maloney.  “He possesses so many intangibles that he is not someone you simply replace.  He’s left his mark on the RUN program and OAR.  We thank him for his tireless efforts and many contributions and wish him all the best.”

Marocco was the force behind the growth and success of our RUN FOR AUTISM run program in the last three years.  When he arrived in 2006, OAR was a charity partner with two races, the Marine Corps Marathon and the Chicago Marathon.  In the previous three years, OAR’s RUN FOR AUTISM program included just over 500 runners and had raised more than $500,000. 

As he leaves, OAR has tripled fundraising and added four more race partners, including the New York City Half Marathon, the Chevron Houston Marathon, the ING Miami Marathon, and the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon.  Through Marocco’s efforts, OAR has been the exclusive charity partner for the Virginia Triathlon Series the past two years and is now affiliated with several of the races in the Rock ‘N’ Roll series across the United States. 

During Marocco’s watch, the RUN FOR AUTISM has raised more than $1.6 million and enlisted more than 1,600 runners from across the country as of the end of 2008. His efforts will continue to reap dividends for OAR as we tally up 2009’s results following OAR’s signature events in October.

Marocco, who came to OAR with an impressive resume of elite running accomplishments nationally and internationally, says that he has gained a whole new perspective on running and life as he worked with and met OAR’s charity runners these past three years.

“Being part of something bigger than yourself like a team or a cause makes the effort a much more gratifying experience,” Marocco says.  “I didn’t have a single autism connection when I started with OAR.  Now I have hundreds that I am honored to call good friends.  I leave enriched by the experience and with even greater admiration for parents of children with autism and their families.”

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RUN FOR AUTISM News

RUN FOR AUTISM in Houston, January 2010

Consider joining OAR’s team for the EP 5K in Houston. Billed as a fun run, this short-distance event will give you (and your friends and family) a chance to participate in a race event, raise money for OAR, and wake up the next day pain-free and a little more fit. You’ll also be part of an OAR team that includes runners in the Chevron Houston Marathon and the Aramco Half Marathon. Does it get better than that?

Come on out for Houston’s premier run event and give OAR a helping hand all at the same time. January temperatures in Houston are mild—perfect for a morning run.

Join OAR in Houston today! For more information, go to www.runforautism.org or email run@researchautism.org

Rockin’ Out for OAR at Chicago’s Inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon

Eighteen thousand runners took to Chicago’s streets to run the Inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon on August 2, making the event an instant success. It was just as successful for OAR’s RUN FOR AUTISM as 75 OAR runners joined their fellow Rock ‘n’ Rollers while raising money for autism research.

This new Half Marathon replaces the Chicago Distance Classic, a mainstay for runners in area for the past 33 years and the oldest continuous road race in the city. Now that Elite Racing is managing the race as part of its Rock ‘n’ Roll series, live bands greet runners at every mile marker and a post-event concert wraps up the run on a high note.

While some OAR runners use this run to train for the October Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Dina Michaels and Renee DiBraccio led OAR’s first team of Chicago Rock ‘N’ Roll runners by raising more than $1,500 each.

OAR Board Member Lisa Hussman traveled from Maryland for the half marathon, meeting up with family members from Michigan and San Antonio.  Her nephew, Dan Jess, did not just run the race, he finished fifth overall and sported his OAR race shirt on the podium. His finish time qualified him for an elite start position for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, giving the OAR team even more hope for a leading finish at the October race.

Olivia Pritchett also topped the $1,000 fundraising mark, followed closely by teammates Amy Harvey and Amy Machut. OAR runners Lisa Jones and Leigh Sauliner were welcome additions to the Rock ‘n’ Roll OAR team, traveling from Cincinnati to run as part of their training for the Columbus Marathon. Wearing their OAR shirts made them great RUN FOR AUTISM promoters. Jones and Sauliner plan to wear them at upcoming events as well to spread awareness about the team and the cause.

Veteran team members Jeff Rayburn, Jennifer Wheeler, Guy Stroczynski, and Erin Maus also used this race as a training run for upcoming October marathons.  Rayburn, who ran with his son Zach, has already raised more than $11,000 this year. He and his wife, Susie, created the annual Chloe 5K Run, named in honor of their daughter, in their hometown of Rensselaer, IN, three years ago. With the proceeds from this year’s run and other fundraising efforts, the Rayburns are OAR’s top fundraiser for the year as October approaches.

If you want to be part of the OAR excitement in Chicago come October, you can volunteer to help at the Expo on Friday and Saturday, October 9-10, or in the Charity Village on Sunday, October 11.  With the charity registration period now closed, the only way to join OAR’s team as a runner is if you have already registered on your own and have an entry. 

If October doesn’t work, there’s the Shamrock Shuffle 8K in April and, of course, another Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in August 2010.

For more information on OAR’s RUN FOR AUTISM – Chicago activities or to volunteer, please call (866) 366-9710, x224 or email OAR at: run@researchautism.org

They Run for Fun and Raise Funds for OAR

“Running a marathon seemed like a lonely endeavor,” Erin Maus recalls thinking after she signed up for her first Chicago Marathon to best her brother in a continuation of a friendly, long-running sibling rivalry.  “Once I was committed to train for the marathon, however, I learned quickly that running a marathon requires a team effort—from your family, who puts up with long weekend runs and constant complaining about aches and pains, to your running partners, who keep you up to the task every week.”

Joining the Chicago Runners Association, she says, made her part of an informal team that “never let me down, that ran with me in the rain, that empathized with strange pains in even stranger places, and pushed me week after week to finish what I had started.”

Now, two marathons later, Erin is still running “to stay healthy, get some fresh air and let off steam.  I often run home from work—about 5 miles—no matter the weather.  It takes about 10 minutes longer than my commute on the train, and it feels, and smells, a whole lot better.”

In fact, running has become a Maus family affair. Her husband Gary decided to join her. “I always played team sports and never enjoyed running simply for fitness.  I dreaded pre-season training in high school and college as it inevitably involved running.   But as I followed Erin on my bike for the entire 2006 marathon, I found myself caught up in the excitement of the race and I knew then that it was something I wanted to do. “

After the birth of their daughter, Mary Jane, in 2007, Gary signed up to run with Erin in the 2008 Chicago Marathon.

Raising money for OAR has also become a Maus family tradition, one that grows out of both Erin’s and Gary’s desire to not only run but to benefit a worthy cause as they do. Erin signed up with OAR for her 2006 marathon and Gary joined her for his first marathon in 2008. Between the two of them, they have earned a place on the top 10 list of OAR fundraisers for 2008, having raised a total of $7,800. “Erin is one of the mainstays of our Chicago team,” explains Doug Marocco, director of the RUN FOR AUTISM program. “She ran with our team at Chicago in 2006, talked Gary into joining the team, and also did the Chicago Distance Classic and Rock ‘N’ Roll Run in 2009.”

Erin chose OAR because of her “loving and dynamic friends with autism and their families.” Through her work as a lawyer, she saw the challenges that a person with autism faces. “One of my most memorable cases was representing a community college student with autism on issues related to his education.  In the end, my student excelled in his education, learning how to use his talented green thumb to make the world a more beautiful place. “

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Research Reviews: Teaching Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders to Exercise

By Peter Gerhardt, Ed.D.

The overall health benefits of regular exercise have been well established for some time now.  Unfortunately, also well established is the fact that individuals with developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD), live a fairly sedentary lifestyle, leading to fitness levels significantly below those of their typical peers.  This month’s research reviews looks at issues related to teaching individuals with ASD to regularly exercise, thereby improving levels of physical fitness.   

Can a Treadmill Walking Program Increase Exercise Capacity and Reduce Weight for Adolescents with Autism?

In this study, the authors wished to compare the relative benefits of a systematic program of instruction designed to teach regular walking on a treadmill as compared to a control group receiving 30 minutes of “leisure activity” three times per week.  The participants in the study included 10 adolescents/young adults (6 males and 4 females) receiving comprehensive services at a residential school located in the Midwest. All individuals had an existing diagnosis of autism with varying levels of cognitive involvement.  All had “histories of lengthy and restrictive placement resulting from their severe maladaptive behaviors” (p. 1006) and had no medical contraindications to their participation in this study. 

Individuals were assigned to either the control (no additional intervention) or the “treadmill-walking group.”  For the treadmill group, the exercise protocol consisted of an initial frequency of sessions on the treadmill two days per week, which was increased by one day per week every two weeks until participants reached a total of treadmill-walking sessions on five days of each week.  At the same time, the initial duration of eight minutes per session was gradually increased to 20 minutes and the speed increased from (approximately) 3 mph to a peak of around 4 mph across participants.   The researchers measured caloric expenditure, weight, and body mass index (BMI) for both groups. 

The results documented that, over the course of nine months, the treadmill group demonstrated a significant increase in exercise capacity and monthly caloric expenditure, coupled with a decrease in BMI when compared to the control group.  The percent reduction in BMI for the treadmill group averaged 8.4 percent with a comparable 4.8 percent reduction in weight.  As noted by the authors, “the sustained and gradual weight loss experienced by the participants would likely have contributed to a reduction in the risk associated with the complications due to diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease.” 

Pitetti, K.H., Rendoff, A.D., Grover, T., & Beets, M.A., (2006). The Efficacy of a 9-month Treadmill Walking Program on the Exercise Capacity and Weight Reduction for Adolescents with Autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 997-1006.

Can Exercise Programs for Adolescents with Autism Improve Cardiovascular and Muscular Fitness?

The purpose of this investigation was to study the practicality of establishing exercise-training programs, which follow standard guidelines, for adolescents with autism to improve both cardiovascular and muscular fitness.  As noted by the authors, physical activities are often missing from the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities despite the well-established health benefits.  The remediation of this absence should be considered a significant educational and habilitative priority.  

The participants in this study were five individuals with autism, ages 16 to 21, with mild cognitive involvement. Three individuals participated in an aerobic exercise program while two took part in a strength-training program.  Aerobic exercise consisted of “moderate-intensity” stationary cycling for a minimum of 20 minutes, 3 times per week. The heart rate of the participants was monitored to ensure that exercise intensity was in the targeted zone. The strength-training program consisted of two to three sessions per week of weight training lasting no longer than one hour as recommended by standard guidelines.  Aerobic fitness was measured using a Power/Work/Capacity fitness test while muscular strength was measured using pre- and post-training single, maximum lifts.

The results indicated that, over 18 sessions, both aerobic and muscular strength training resulted in significantly increased fitness levels for all participants.   Although the study is limited by, among other concerns, sample size, the results are encouraging.  The authors note that the results should help stimulate further investigation in this area in line with other current research in the areas of exercise physiology, psychology, and psychological well being.

Lochbaum, M., & Crews, D., (2003).  Viability of Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Strength Programs for the Adolescent with Autism.  Complementary Health Practice Review, 8, 225-233.

Implementing a Successful Physical Activity Program for Students with Autism

Although not research, this article is, nonetheless, informative as to the development and implementation of a school-based physical activity program for students with autism.  The program, Success in Physical Activity (SPA), is based on a TEACCH model of modifying or restructuring the environment to accommodate individuals with autism. 

Under the SPA model, different exercise or activity areas are both clearly marked and delineated by physical barriers or markings.  Physical activities, the authors note, may include use of a stationary bike, aerobic stepping, walking on a treadmill, and weight training along with a menu of motor-planning activities.  Distracting items or obstacles, the authors recommend, should be removed so that each individual can be taught to navigate through a series of five or more different physical activities/areas. 

Individual activity schedules are an integral component and need to be designed in such a way as to “accommodate difficulties in understanding the concepts of ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘where.’” (p. 160).  Upon arrival in the gym (or other designated area) students are prompted to check their schedule, remove the top card, place the card in a designated folder, and complete the physical activity.  This process is repeated until the activity/exercise circuit is complete. 

While certainly less intensive than either of the previously described interventions, the SPA system may be appropriate for younger learners who are being introduced to greater levels of independence across a variety of physical activities. 

Schultheis, S.F., Boswell, B.B., & Decker, J. (2000). Successful Physical Activity Programming for Students with Autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 15, 159-162.

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Focus on OAR Research:
Using Telemedicine to Support Parent Training in Intervention

In 2008, OAR funded six research projects. Since the beginning of 2009, The OARacle has featured those research projects in the newsletter. This month’s featured research project, which is the last one for 2009, will measure the effectiveness of training parents to provide intervention via emerging telemedicine technology.

How Will This Study Help People with Autism and Their Families?

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Daniel Openden, Ph.D., BCBA

With the dramatic increase in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has come a shortage of qualified interventionists to provide services. The lack of interventionists is even more of a challenge for those who reside in rural or remote regions. One way to address this growing need is to systematically train parents to implement intervention during natural language interactions with their children. Training parents as primary intervention agents requires less time from highly trained staff, while simultaneously increasing the intensity of treatment. According to a study, in typical child development, optimal learning occurs naturally during transactional interactions between the parent, the child, and the environment without the need for specific training.  Parents of children with ASD, however, are at a disadvantage because their children either do not learn or do learn at the same rate as typically developing children and attempts to engage their children may go without reinforcement.

Two previous studies demonstrated that an intensive one-week parent training program is effective for teaching parents to implement Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT). PRT is an evidence-based model that uses both a developmental approach and the science of applied behavior analysis (ABA) procedures to target areas that underlie the core symptoms of autism, including impairments in social interaction, communications, and repetitive/ restrictive behaviors.

This study will evaluate the efficacy of using telemedicine as a tool for providing immediate feedback and continued support for parents. The results of this study may have important implications for delivery of cost-effective and efficacious intervention for families in rural or remote areas.

Describe the Study.
The two-year project will measure the effect of telemedicine support on parents’ ability to provide PRT to improve functional verbal communication in their children with ASD. Additionally, the researchers will examine the association between estimates of children’s cognitive functioning and adaptive behavior and the response to treatment.

The study will compare parental implementation in a group of parents who receive one week of training and minimal support (through e-mail and phone calls) to a group of parents who receive one week of training plus weekly parent support sessions via telemedicine for an additional three months.

What is the Practical Relevance?
Specific training for the parents of children with ASD may help them to redesign their environments to facilitate the development of appropriate social communication, which will then reinforce the parents to continue to engage their children in meaningful learning interactions. This study will provide training for parents of children with ASD so that they create an environment that will facilitate the development of appropriate social communication.

Using telemedicine may provide a means of disseminating effective treatments to the large number of families in need, particularly those who live in rural/remote areas.

This approach can also offer families an effective method of intervention that is cost-effective and requires less time from trained professionals. Because parents spend more time with their children than clinicians do, the children will receive more intervention at less cost.

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SALUTE: Two OAR Volunteers Bring Empathy and Experience to OAR’s Military Project

Time is not a renewable commodity. Few people know that better than the parents of children who have been diagnosed with autism. Those children need services and they need them now. For families in the military, “quickly” is not always part of the equation.

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Erin Clemens and her husband, Robert at the Great Wall of China

Erin Clemens and Katie Alexander would like to see that change. As military spouses, they understand very well the challenges that military life imposes. As professionals in the autism world, they also understand the challenges that parenting a child with autism brings.

Clemens has lived in Okinawa, Japan, for two years. Her husband, Robert, is a major and a pilot in the Marine Corps. She has been a pediatric occupational therapist since 2001 and has been in private practice for three years.

Alexander also has a background as an occupational therapist with a master’s degree in the field, specializing in autism and special education. Today, she is an educational consultant working with schools, including Ivymont School in Bethesda, MD. While her husband, Zac, is stationed in Germany, she and their two-year-old daughter, Olivia, make their home at Camp Pendleton, CA.

When Clemens and Alexander heard about OAR’s military families project, each woman saw a way she could help reduce those challenges and give those families access to much needed resources.

Last October, OAR received a grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation to create an autism guide for military families. The project encompasses two complementary components: a comprehensive, Web-based resource accessible to military families wherever they live (read the article about the Web site) and a companion, hard-copy resource guide intended as a personal reference tool for each parent and family. In combination, these resources will provide a 24/7 resource that will include information about autism and autism treatment; specifics about navigating the military healthcare system; lists of autism resources, schools, and support available at or near military installations; and practical tips and suggestions on handling the many transitions military families and their children must face.

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Katie Alexander and her husband, Zac with their daughter Olivia

Both Clemens and Alexander are writing parts of the guidebook and both will serve as reviewers of the guidebook and Web-base resource when they are complete. “If OAR’s resources will help families not lose time and ensure that they can stay on in the military, that’s good,” says Alexander. Clemens echoes that feeling, saying she would be delighted to “do anything else that needs to be done” to complete the resources and make them available to military families.

Working with children on a military base in another country has given Clemens a close-up view of what military families who have children with special needs face. “I see their daily struggles with not only raising a child with autism, but of dealing with hectic schedules for therapies, insurance issues, educating the public, and doing their best to establish routines and improve their quality of life. I could see how difficult this was for families when I lived in North Carolina, and since we moved to Japan two years ago, I see families struggle even more due to a lack of resources available for our military families who have a child with autism.”

For Alexander, OAR’s project “is a natural extension of my personal mission. I have learned so much from the families I have worked with. Volunteering for this project is a way I can give back and do so within the military community. Dealing with autism while in the military adds a lot of stress to family life. I’ve watched families struggle as they try to get their children the care they need. Anything I can do to help alleviate that, I want to do.”

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