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Wendy Stone, PhD, director of Vanderbilt’s Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD) and a Kennedy Center investigator, said that as important as the programs are to train pediatricians and family practitioners to screen for or diagnose autism spectrum disorders, it’s only a first step.

“The second step is to be able to provide interventions,” she said. “There has been a push to go earlier and earlier with the diagnosis because the preschool interventions suggest children with autism make significant gains with participation.”

Calling these interventions for toddlers “a new frontier,” Stone noted much of the focus has to be on parental intervention and training. To that end, Vanderbilt offers several options.

Through the Parent Support and Education Program – Infant and Toddler Screening Clinic (PSEP-ITS) run by Zachary Warren, PhD, autism specialists provide information, support and diagnostic consultation for parents of children under two years. Physicians or parents should contact TRIAD at (615) 343-9664 for more information.

With a financial gift from Ann and Monroe Carell, Jr., the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital have been able to launch a monthly workshop for parents of young, newly diagnosed children. The Saturday workshops are designed for parents of children aged two-to-five. Stone said topics such as improving communication skills, enhancing social interactions and addressing challenging behaviors are explored. Although the program is free, parents do need to register as lunch is provided. For more information, go to http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/kennedy/triad/familiesfirst.html or call (615) 343-4275.

Stone also said TRIAD researchers are now actively recruiting for a new trial, “Hanen More than Words,” which is a multi-site trial being conducted in cooperation with the University of Massachusetts and the University of Miami. The target population is children from 15-24 months old who have failed a routine autism screening, have delays in social and communication development, have parents or service providers that have expressed concerns about ASD, or are the younger siblings of children with ASD whose parents have concerns.

Children entered into the trial will be randomly assigned to the treatment or non-treatment phase, said Stone. Both groups will receive three evaluations over a nine-month period. Parents of children in the treatment population, Stone continued, will be given training on “how to interact with their young children to foster the child’s communication in daily activities … but in a fun way.”

Pediatricians with potentially appropriate patients should call (615) 343-7101 for more information.



April 2008

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