The present study investigated the communicative characteristics of challenging behavior documented in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and how those behaviors changed as receptive and expressive language skills changed. Several years of the individual education plans (IEPs), behavior plans, and test scores of three male students from a small…
The present study investigated the communicative characteristics of challenging behavior documented in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and how those behaviors changed as receptive and expressive language skills changed. Several years of the individual education plans (IEPs), behavior plans, and test scores of three male students from a small non- public school (NPS) were reviewed for this study. Challenging behaviors that served a communicative function showed some signs of diminishing as functional communication increased. While functional communication did show signs of increasing with the acquisition of expressive and receptive language the participants differed in their dependence on prompting to use functional communication in lieu of challenging behavior. Additionally, some of the challenging behaviors were rooted in a difficulty with self-regulation and stimming behavior and didn't appear to serve a communicative function. Given the significant impact challenging behaviors have on the quality life of the children with ASD and their families, more research is needed to better understand the connection between spontaneous and independent functional communication and duration to independent attention to task effects on challenging behavior.
Speech sound disorders (SSDs) are the most prevalent type of communication disorder in children. Clinically, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) rely on behavioral methods for assessing and treating SSDs. Though clients typically experience improved speech outcomes as a result of therapy, there is evidence that underlying deficits may persist even…
Speech sound disorders (SSDs) are the most prevalent type of communication disorder in children. Clinically, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) rely on behavioral methods for assessing and treating SSDs. Though clients typically experience improved speech outcomes as a result of therapy, there is evidence that underlying deficits may persist even in individuals who have completed treatment for surface-level speech behaviors. Advances in the field of genetics have created the opportunity to investigate the contribution of genes to human communication. Due to the heterogeneity of many communication disorders, the manner in which specific genetic changes influence neural mechanisms, and thereby behavioral phenotypes, remains largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify genotype-phenotype associations, along with perceptual, and motor-related biomarkers within families displaying SSDs. Five parent-child trios participated in genetic testing, and five families participated in a combination of genetic and behavioral testing to help elucidate biomarkers related to SSDs. All of the affected individuals had a history of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) except for one family that displayed a phonological disorder. Genetic investigation yielded several genes of interest relevant for an SSD phenotype: CNTNAP2, CYFIP1, GPR56, HERC1, KIAA0556, LAMA5, LAMB1, MDGA2, MECP2, NBEA, SHANK3, TENM3, and ZNF142. All of these genes showed at least some expression in the developing brain. Gene ontology analysis yielded terms supporting a genetic influence on central nervous system development. Behavioral testing revealed evidence of a sequential processing biomarker for all individuals with CAS, with many showing deficits in sequential motor skills in addition to speech deficits. In some families, participants also showed evidence of a co-occurring perceptual processing biomarker. The family displaying a phonological phenotype showed milder sequential processing deficits compared to CAS families. Overall, this study supports the presence of a sequential processing biomarker for CAS and shows that relevant genes of interest may be influencing a CAS phenotype via sequential processing. Knowledge of these biomarkers can help strengthen precision of clinical assessment and motivate development of novel interventions for individuals with SSDs.
