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Bonus Child Behavior Tips and Updates, Issue #001 -- teaser here
January 03, 2010
Happy New Year!

Child-behavior-guide.com updates

• Do you need help with your child's skin picking? Learn prevention and ways to help keep your child’s skin healthy.
• Read about ways to deal with aggressive children.
 • Information about using social stories to help your child understand a new skill, concept or upcoming event.
• Learn about Fragile X Syndrome , a genetic disorder with symptoms similar to autism.
• Also, check out my child behavior blog for more updated pages and blog posts with bonus tips on factors influencing child behavior, including the effects of television on behavior and the effects of food with red dye.

What’s in the News?

A new study published by Medical News TODAY states Connectivity And Function In The Brain Improved By Behavioral Training. This particular study focused on children with poor reading skills that improved after a six month period of intense behavioral training. Although, there have been other studies showing improvement in behavior followed by behavioral training. However, what’s exceptionally thrilling about this news is that after the training they were actually able to detect brain connectivity and enhanced brain function with a technology called Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). It’s really a very interesting article that only further supports the benefits of behavioral training with children.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have officially approved the medication Abilify for children with autism displaying irritability. I’m not sure how I feel about this. I know for some children or individuals with autism, medication can show significant improvements. Dr. Temple Grandin a well known author diagnosed with autism states in her book that she really needs her medication just to feel normal. I am also concerned that we have become a society that is too quick to prescribe a medication for every ailment. When all other options are exhausted, medication might be the next step, but without ruling out the possibility of other causes first, you are just putting on a band aid without actually healing the wound. However, at this point being that the exact cause of autism is unknown for certain, I suppose anything is worth trying. Click here to share your comments.

 Also in the news, Ohio is in the process of passing a bill requiring insurance companies to cover autism as they would other chronic diseases. There are controversial arguments related to this decision. Some are arguing that the bill will ultimately hurt small businesses due to higher insurance premiums to offset the new expense by insurance companies. The measure has now been passed on to the Ohio Senate. It seems unfair that we should dictate what should or should not be covered based on rising premiums. Individuals with cancer cause the premiums to be really high, but it is still a covered treatment for some insurance plans. What are your thoughts about the passing of bills requiring insurance companies to cover treatment services for autism? Click here to share your thoughts and comments.
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