PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS

Buspirone

Buspirone is a drug used in the treatment of feelings of extreme anxiety, such as fear, dizziness, or a pounding heartbeat. It’s an anti-anxiety medication rather than an anti-psychotic, so not a substitute for medication your healthcare provider may have prescribed for other mental health issues you’re dealing with. Buspirone comes in tablet form, may […]

Autism: Drugs/Medications

Medications Some medications can help reduce symptoms that cause problems for your child in school or at home. Many other medications may be prescribed off-label, meaning they have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a certain use or for certain people. Doctors may prescribe medications off-label if they have […]

Autism: Treatments

Treatments While there’s no proven cure yet for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), treating ASD early, using school-based programs, and getting proper medical care can greatly reduce ASD symptoms and increase your child’s ability to grow and learn new skills. Early intervention Research has shown that intensive behavioral therapy during the toddler or preschool years can […]

10 Steps to Preventing Problem Behaviors

1. Apply Your Knowledge of the Child 2. Use the Problem-Solving Approach to Behavior Change 3. Teach Functional Communication 4. Adapt the Environment 5. Incorporate Visual Cues 6. Develop Predictable Routines 7. Adapt Your Interaction Style 8. Teach Alternative Behaviors 9. Provide Powerful Rewards 10. Catch ‘em Being Good 1. Understanding the Child The first […]

Techniques for Reducing Problem Behaviors

I. GENERAL INTERVENTION GUIDELINES 1. Always try these techniques at home first, where you have greater control over your environment. 2. Be prepared for your child’s behavior to get worse before it gets better. 3. These techniques become more effective over repeated, consistent use. 4. The best way to judge whether the intervention is working […]

Play Interest Checklist – Behaviors Observed

Child: _________________ Observer: _____________________ Date: ________________ Construction Activities Materials/Activity Comments on skill level and activity 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Visual Activities Materials/Activity Comments on skill level and activity 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Auditory Activities Materials/Activity Comments on skill level and activity 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Dramatic Activities […]

Helping Less Verbal Youth with ASD Manage Strong Emotions

Learning Objectives: Participants will recognize how the biological features of ASD make coping (or self-regulation) very challenging, especially when a person doesn’t have easy access to language. Participants will increase awareness of the behavioral signs of escalating anxiety in youth with ASD. Participants will learn about a variety of strategies and resources that can be […]

Assessment in Developmental Disabilities: Tools

Assessment in Developmental Disabilities A Lecture for NSP Special Topics Course NRSC 7670 OV1 (Course Director: K. Gardiner) February 5 & 7, 2013 Presented by Susan Hepburn, Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist/Associate Professor Departments of Psychiatry & Pediatrics/JFK Partners/University of Colorado DEVELOPMENTAL/INTELLECTUAL ASSESSMENT TOOLS (sequenced developmentally) 1. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) (Bricker […]

Tools for Assessing Autism Symptoms and Relevant Features

AUTISM SYMPTOM CHECKLISTS – (EDUCATOR OR PARENT REPORT) Infant-Toddler Checklist (ITC) Description: The Infant-Toddler Checklist (ITC; Wetherby & Prizant, 2002) is a 25-item checklist that was developed out of the SCERTS model and is very well attuned to the communicative aspects of ASD in young children. Designed and validated in a large community sample […]

Surviving Mental Illness

If you’ve ever wondered how to effectively deal with mental illness, Jessie Close has a lot to tell you. Her new book, Resilience: Two Sisters and a Story of Mental Illness, offers a heartbreaking, honest description of her 40 years of personal experience. Jessie, the sister of actress Glenn Close, has experienced decades of great […]

Psychotic Disorders: How Can It Be Treated

By definition, psychotic symptoms go away on their own in less than 1 month. In some cases, brief psychotic disorder can be the beginning of a more chronic psychotic condition, such as schizophreniaor schizoaffective disorder. Antipsychotic drugs can help decrease or stop the psychotic symptoms. Talk therapy may also help you cope with the emotional stress that […]

Psychotic Disorders: What Causes It

Brief psychotic disorder is triggered by extreme stress, such as a traumatic accident or loss of a loved one. It is followed by a return to the previous level of function. The person may or may not be aware of the strange behavior. This condition most often affects people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. […]