Lisa Gilotty on Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children

Summary

Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children, Dr. Lisa Gilotty with the Research Program on Autism Spectrum Disorders at the National Institute of Mental Health talks about ASD research.

Transcript

Time: 00:03:08 | Size: 2.91 MB
Speaker: Lisa Gilotty Ph.D.
Description: Dr. Lisa Gilotty with the Research Program on Autism Spectrum Disorders at the National Institute of Mental Health talks about ASD research.

Announcer: NIMH radio...from Bethesda.

Dr. Gilotty: Early diagnosis is so important because it enables parents or caregivers to begin intervention services early on in the child's life. And this is thought to be critical to help improve the long term outcomes for these individuals.

Announcer: Dr. Lisa Gilotty is with the Research Program on Autism Spectrum Disorders at the National Institute of Mental Health. Autism Spectrum Disorders are usually first diagnosed in early childhood and range in severity. Parents and caregivers are usually the first to notice unusual behavior in children...

Dr. Gilotty: The first thing a parent should do if they suspect their child may have an autism spectrum disorder is to contact their child's pediatrician to request a screening. So often a pediatrician will conduct an initial screening in their office and then refer the family to a specialist who is trained to diagnose ASD or alternately to a nearby clinic that specializes in ASD and related disorders.

Announcer: There is no single best treatment package for all children with ASD. Parents and caregivers should work with a trusted, expert diagnostic team in making treatment decisions. Also of vital importance for families, is finding local mental health services in your area.

Dr. Gilotty: Families should seek out local programs that offer intervention services for children with ASD as well as determine what services the school system will offer. Parents often need to work with a child's school to figure out the best classroom fit and other related services.

Announcer: We hear so much about children and autism but what adults?

Dr. Gilotty: For adults with ASD the most important considerations are employment and independent living as well as continued access to high quality medical and educational or vocational services. People with ASD or their caregivers should look at both the state and the local levels for resources that can assist with this transition to independence.

Dr. Gilotty: NIMH is currently funding studies to improve diagnostics and early intervention, studies that look at the developmental course of ASD from infancy all the way through young adulthood as well as research on interventions for adults such as one which teaches appropriate job related skills like how to apply and interview for a job.

Dr. Gilotty: It can be hard to navigate that social sphere in employment situations for individuals with autism, so studies like this one are highly relevant and highly important and we're really thrilled about it actually.

Announcer: Dr. Lisa Gilotty. For more information about Autism Spectrum Disorders go to the NIMH website.

Announcer: This is NIMH radio.